So my son's A&M History Prof is having him write an opinion paper

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aggie93
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8:14p, 4/23/23
AG
It's an American History Class prior to 1900. He's got a mid/high A in the class and a 4.0 overall so his grades are very important to him. Then out of the blue the Prof gives an assignment to "annotate and give opinions about". It's an Atlantic Article from 2016 after Trump's election but prior to him taking office essentially saying how Trump was going to roll back all the progress and hope of the Obama Presidency and comes just short of saying that Jim Crow is coming back. The first sentence is "The accomplishments of the first black president will be erased by a man who rose to power on the slander that Barack Obama was not born in America." and it goes downhill from there.

I am furious seeing profs give students stuff like this at the end of the Semester clearly designed to find out their political leanings on a subjectively graded paper. It puts my conservative son in a position where he can either write a paper as he truly believes or try to come up with something they want to hear. Apparently it will be graded by a 3rd Party website that uses an algorithm. My son is thinking of writing the Dean because it has no relevance to the course.

The article just rambles incoherently. I swear A&M really doesn't want any more of my donations again.

Welcome to the Second Redemption


"The most terrifying words in the English language are: I'm from the government and I'm here to help."

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JohnLA762
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8:17p, 4/23/23
AG
Sounds like he has a big enough cushion in the class to teach him about staying true to his beliefs…
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Franklin Comes Alive!
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8:18p, 4/23/23
You're still donating?

You don't realize yet that the admin despises you?
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combat wombat™
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In reply to aggie93 • 8:19p, 4/23/23
AG
I would seriously ask how this assignment is relevant to the subject matter of the class he signed up for. Furthermore, his opinions on this article are completely irrelevant to his grade in the class. So, basically, he's been assigned an English grammar and composition paper.

He could just blow sunshine up the prof's butt, too. Complete tongue-in-cheek opinion piece. Satire, if you will. Just not so over the top that the prof realizes what it is.
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Yesterday
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8:20p, 4/23/23
AG
My history profs were mostly liberal in 2005 as well. Write his opinion. If he sees any changes in his grade etc then report the prof.
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B-1 83
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8:20p, 4/23/23
AG
He should have a good time spewing out each and every leftist talking point in his paper knowing he's just playing the prof for an "A". That is a good life exercise in itself
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murphyag
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In reply to aggie93 • 8:22p, 4/23/23
AG
aggie93 said:
It's an American History Class prior to 1900. He's got a mid/high A in the class and a 4.0 overall so his grades are very important to him. Then out of the blue the Prof gives an assignment to "annotate and give opinions about". It's an Atlantic Article from 2016 after Trump's election but prior to him taking office essentially saying how Trump was going to roll back all the progress and hope of the Obama Presidency and comes just short of saying that Jim Crow is coming back. The first sentence is "The accomplishments of the first black president will be erased by a man who rose to power on the slander that Barack Obama was not born in America." and it goes downhill from there.

I am furious seeing profs give students stuff like this at the end of the Semester clearly designed to find out their political leanings on a subjectively graded paper. It puts my conservative son in a position where he can either write a paper as he truly believes or try to come up with something they want to hear. Apparently it will be graded by a 3rd Party website that uses an algorithm. My son is thinking of writing the Dean because it has no relevance to the course.

The article just rambles incoherently. I swear A&M really doesn't want any more of my donations again.

Welcome to the Second Redemption


Have your son transfer to another university that more aligns with your values and beliefs. Unless you are a mega donor, that will have more impact dollar wise.
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ballchain
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In reply to Yesterday • 8:23p, 4/23/23
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TX_COWDOC
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8:24p, 4/23/23
AG
This is nothing new. Tell him to crush a couple of bud lights and write the paper from a leftist viewpoint. Sticking to your beliefs in this type of environment is likely a self- limiting exercise.

Alternatively, tell him to pen the assignment like the red-blooded alpha male you've raised him to be and dgaf the drop in grade points.
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Loco84
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8:26p, 4/23/23
AG
Just have AI write it for him and spend the time doing something useful.
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Urban Ag
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In reply to B-1 83 • 8:28p, 4/23/23
AG
B-1 83 said:
He should have a good time spewing out each and every leftist talking point in his paper knowing he's just playing the prof for an "A". That is a good life exercise in itself
This.

I did this once. It was quite satisfying and fun and I got my A.

It was a class outside my department/major and this dewsh prof couldn't hurt me in the college I was getting my degree. So some months after the grades were officially in my transcript, I happen to run in to him on campus and told him I completely bullsh** his entire course and laughed myself stupid every time he lapped it up. It was heart warming to see the expression on his face.
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cjg89
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8:28p, 4/23/23
AG
There should be 7 years of history to obliterate any 2016 article related to Trump.
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MouthBQ98
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8:29p, 4/23/23
AG
I'd follow the rote English class formula you are supposed to use in a critical analysis or whatever the professor is doing but be really satirical or sarcastic enough to make it obvious I am both following the intent of the assignment but also mocking it. It's a fine line, and it's a gamble, but that's what makes it engaging.

That is a strangely off course topic and assignment. Wrong time, and odd assignment for a history class but maybe they are just mocking the conservative students with the topic while also giving them a test of ability to critically analyze an event.
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aggie93
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In reply to murphyag • 8:30p, 4/23/23
AG
murphyag said:
aggie93 said:
It's an American History Class prior to 1900. He's got a mid/high A in the class and a 4.0 overall so his grades are very important to him. Then out of the blue the Prof gives an assignment to "annotate and give opinions about". It's an Atlantic Article from 2016 after Trump's election but prior to him taking office essentially saying how Trump was going to roll back all the progress and hope of the Obama Presidency and comes just short of saying that Jim Crow is coming back. The first sentence is "The accomplishments of the first black president will be erased by a man who rose to power on the slander that Barack Obama was not born in America." and it goes downhill from there.

I am furious seeing profs give students stuff like this at the end of the Semester clearly designed to find out their political leanings on a subjectively graded paper. It puts my conservative son in a position where he can either write a paper as he truly believes or try to come up with something they want to hear. Apparently it will be graded by a 3rd Party website that uses an algorithm. My son is thinking of writing the Dean because it has no relevance to the course.

The article just rambles incoherently. I swear A&M really doesn't want any more of my donations again.

Welcome to the Second Redemption


Have your son transfer to another university that more aligns with your values and beliefs. Unless you are a mega donor, that will have more impact dollar wise.
Not feasible on multiple levels for him, his major is also only at a few Universities in the country (none close by) and this class has nothing to do with his major. I stopped donating after the Sul Ross nonsense but I was never a mega donor of any form.
"The most terrifying words in the English language are: I'm from the government and I'm here to help."

Ronald Reagan
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MouthBQ98
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8:30p, 4/23/23
AG
Also, software graded assignment? Maybe they should outsource professors.
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Heisenberg01
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8:30p, 4/23/23
AG
Sounds like a good use of ChatGPT.
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aggie93
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In reply to combat wombat™ • 8:31p, 4/23/23
AG
combat wombat said:
I would seriously ask how this assignment is relevant to the subject matter of the class he signed up for. Furthermore, his opinions on this article are completely irrelevant to his grade in the class. So, basically, he's been assigned an English grammar and composition paper.

He could just blow sunshine up the prof's butt, too. Complete tongue-in-cheek opinion piece. Satire, if you will. Just not so over the top that the prof realizes what it is.
It's apparently graded by some 3rd Party site that uses an algorithm. No clue how that works.
"The most terrifying words in the English language are: I'm from the government and I'm here to help."

Ronald Reagan
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aggiez03
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8:31p, 4/23/23
AG
Have ChatGPT write it. It already has leftist bias built-in.

Should be an easy A...
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FincAg
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8:32p, 4/23/23
AG
This shouldn't be hard for an A student. Write the paper, use the other books and material from the semester to highlight similarities and differences to pre 1900 American History calling out the plight of actual slavery and reconstruction.

Oh and " Apparently it will be graded by a 3rd Party website that uses an algorithm." means the prof is going to run it through a chat AI to catch any phrases that would allude to plagiarizing.
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murphyag
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In reply to aggie93 • 8:33p, 4/23/23
AG
aggie93 said:
combat wombat said:
I would seriously ask how this assignment is relevant to the subject matter of the class he signed up for. Furthermore, his opinions on this article are completely irrelevant to his grade in the class. So, basically, he's been assigned an English grammar and composition paper.

He could just blow sunshine up the prof's butt, too. Complete tongue-in-cheek opinion piece. Satire, if you will. Just not so over the top that the prof realizes what it is.
It's apparently graded by some 3rd Party site that uses an algorithm. No clue how that works.
WTH?!? Why?
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Robert L. Peters
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8:33p, 4/23/23
The paper is graded by an algorithm? What the hell does this moron prof do all day? How much are these guys getting paid? The bozos are getting paid by the taxpayers to indoctrinate our kids.

Tell your son to write a perfect paper. Cite properly. Proof it proof it proof it. Read it for him. Have some others.

Let this guy give him bad grade and then take it to the regents and the press.
What you say, Paper Champion? I'm gonna beat you like a dog, a dog, you hear me!
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Ellis Wyatt
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In reply to Yesterday • 8:34p, 4/23/23
Yesterday said:
My history profs were mostly liberal in 2005 as well. Write his opinion. If he sees any changes in his grade etc then report the prof.
Mine weren't at Texas 91-95. It's sad how ****ty education has become.
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aggie93
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8:37p, 4/23/23
AG
Part of the issue is the article is just terribly written and rambles incoherently. I mean it goes from Reconstruction to Muslim bans to the Affordable Care Act to Illegal Immigration. They even throw in something about sexual assaults on college campuses. It's basically comes across as a fever dream of some liberal in full panic mode after Trump won the election in '16.

One fun thing I got a kick out of is it talks about LBGT rights, it was still a time before they added all the "extras".
"The most terrifying words in the English language are: I'm from the government and I'm here to help."

Ronald Reagan
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deddog
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In reply to aggie93 • 8:38p, 4/23/23
AG
aggie93 said:
It's an American History Class prior to 1900. He's got a mid/high A in the class and a 4.0 overall so his grades are very important to him. Then out of the blue the Prof gives an assignment to "annotate and give opinions about". It's an Atlantic Article from 2016 after Trump's election but prior to him taking office essentially saying how Trump was going to roll back all the progress and hope of the Obama Presidency and comes just short of saying that Jim Crow is coming back. The first sentence is "The accomplishments of the first black president will be erased by a man who rose to power on the slander that Barack Obama was not born in America." and it goes downhill from there.

I am furious seeing profs give students stuff like this at the end of the Semester clearly designed to find out their political leanings on a subjectively graded paper. It puts my conservative son in a position where he can either write a paper as he truly believes or try to come up with something they want to hear. Apparently it will be graded by a 3rd Party website that uses an algorithm. My son is thinking of writing the Dean because it has no relevance to the course.

The article just rambles incoherently. I swear A&M really doesn't want any more of my donations again.

Welcome to the Second Redemption


Kids dealt with this crap all through middle and high school (Austin).
If he feels strongly, then write what he really thinks. But make sure you stick to any rubric the prof might have.
That's how my kids got screwed, teacher would deduct points for "not following the rubric".

Those are the the only Bs my kids ever got in middle and high school
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UTExan
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8:40p, 4/23/23
Have him write a satire paper saying the article wasn't anywhere near critical of Trump and further, post Trump American law enforcement should convert the Guantanamo facility to a thoughtcrime prison for conservatives. Any conservative who has in the past expressed doubts about the LGBTQ agenda or affirmative action would be referred to a people's tribunal and suffer loss of voting privileges and forfeiture of all assets as reparations.
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Old Sarge
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In reply to B-1 83 • 8:49p, 4/23/23
AG
B-1 83 said:
He should have a good time spewing out each and every leftist talking point in his paper knowing he's just playing the prof for an "A". That is a good life exercise in itself
Already had the talk with my kids when coming across this to give the prof what he wants on paper, and the middle finger on the way out the door with their "A".


Sadly, it's not like it used to be. I had a Construction Law professor that when it came to Unions we vehemently disagreed. He told us he'd never met Jesus, but the next best, Jimmy Hoffa. He allowed me to go on a several minute diatribe against unions, but I had my argument well constructed and based on facts. We actually had debate. Both passionate in our stance. The second time I had him in a subsequent CS law class, he actually referenced the discussion we had in the previous section of the class. I was afraid he'd submarine me but both times he gave me an admirable grade. He actually told me after the second class just before I graduated that while we did not agree, he had no problem giving me the good marks.
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aunuwyn08
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8:51p, 4/23/23
AG
If the assignment isn't in the syllabus it violates academic standards. You can't add work to a course once it begins, only take it away.
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rausr
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8:53p, 4/23/23
AG
Had to get the English department Dean involved in a final paper - he was smart enough to compromise so that he appeared to support the prof, while still allowing me to keep my A in the class.
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Jason C.
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In reply to aggiez03 • 8:54p, 4/23/23
AG
aggiez03 said:
Have ChatGPT write it. It already has leftist bias built-in.

Should be an easy A...


Seriously. And to really get it going, prompt it with "acting like a liberal history professor…."
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txyaloo
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8:54p, 4/23/23
AG
What percentage of his grade is the paper? I did a CBA on every written assignment in school and usually didn't do end of course papers because there was little to no material impact to my grades since I had enough of a cushion from other assignments in the semester.

IDK that going to the dean would do any good, but it's worth a try.

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OldArmy71
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8:55p, 4/23/23
AG
I taught college English and also high school Dual Credit and AP English.

Like you, I am mystified by the assignment, since it has nothing to do with US History before 1900.


The professor is not an idiot. He/she knows that the parents of many of his students voted for Trump.


I know that those who are suggesting using ChatGPT are not serious, but just to say it, do not do that. It would be cheating/plagiarism, and would result in very negative consequences. It would also torpedo any future attempt to dispute the ultimate grade on the paper.

If I were your son, I would carefully isolate several claims that the article makes with which your student disagrees and then disprove them, preferably with factual evidence from cited sources.

In addition, assuming that your son took AP English Language or a college rhetoric class, he should be able to point out instances in the essay of hyperbole, name calling, red herring, etc. In other words, your son could analyze the rhetorical devices used by the author of the Atlantic essay and show that the essay is not based in logic or reason.

The article is behind a pay wall which prevents me from saying much more.

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PCC_80
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8:56p, 4/23/23
AG
The class is Pre 1900 History so completely irrelevant and inappropriate. Also it is an opinion paper on a very biased opinion article that is almost 7 years old. Going to be graded by an algorithm ? ? WTF ? ?? Complete and total Garbage Assignment.

That said: Tell your kid to write the paper and give this Idiot Prof what he wants to hear/see. Get the grade and get out of there.

After grades are turned in and published and entered into your sons transcript he should report the Professor to his Dept Head and to the Office of the President and anyone else that should be interested. Make sure you do it anonymously. If there is still a Grade your Prof system, slam him as hard as he can be slammed and maybe warn future students considering taking a class from this idiot.

Maybe send this garbage to a few local newspapers also anonymously.
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homebuildingag
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8:58p, 4/23/23
AG
I once argued with a socialist political philosophy prof for the majority of a class. All out yelling with the other students telling me to shut the hell up. I was shooting for a C or D though. Never was an A student.

Think I still hold the record for number of times getting kicked out of Mays Business school, but that's another story...
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Psycho Bunny
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In reply to aggie93 • 8:59p, 4/23/23
aggie93 said:
It's an American History Class prior to 1900. He's got a mid/high A in the class and a 4.0 overall so his grades are very important to him. Then out of the blue the Prof gives an assignment to "annotate and give opinions about". It's an Atlantic Article from 2016 after Trump's election but prior to him taking office essentially saying how Trump was going to roll back all the progress and hope of the Obama Presidency and comes just short of saying that Jim Crow is coming back. The first sentence is "The accomplishments of the first black president will be erased by a man who rose to power on the slander that Barack Obama was not born in America." and it goes downhill from there.

I am furious seeing profs give students stuff like this at the end of the Semester clearly designed to find out their political leanings on a subjectively graded paper. It puts my conservative son in a position where he can either write a paper as he truly believes or try to come up with something they want to hear. Apparently it will be graded by a 3rd Party website that uses an algorithm. My son is thinking of writing the Dean because it has no relevance to the course.

The article just rambles incoherently. I swear A&M really doesn't want any more of my donations again.

Welcome to the Second Redemption


Opinion piece is still just that, an opinion. Your kid should write what he feels and if the professor hands your son a bad grade, challenge it


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TexasAggiesWin
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9:01p, 4/23/23
S
Professor of "History prior to 1900" wants an essay about an election in 2016? LOL

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