Academic Freedom

n.  Liberty to teach, pursue, and discuss knowledge without restriction or interference, as by school or public officials.

For the past Semester and a half, I’ve been a student at a community college, not far from home.

This semester, I’ve been taking a History 11 course, dealing with American History up until the Reconstruction Era (which was quite a while ago, if I’m not mistaken).

When a professor rambles on about topic not related to course materials, attacking the United States structure, government.  Claiming that the United States is a predator.  Why does it count as academic freedom?

going back, over and over again, to the claim that the US is only after oil.  That there is no United States.  Only us (public) against THEM (rich people, the Polity of our days).  And THEM are taking our money and drinking it up.  Why does THAT count as academic freedom?

Ending the 15 minute ecstatic speech with the notion that Iraq was first, Iran is next and that the CIA killed JFK, using more and more Marxist terms when reviewing topics, ignoring students moving uncomfortably in their chairs as he goes on and on about racism, religion and OIL.  (Oil comes up a lot).  Academic freedom, again?

Academic freedom is key here.  It does not matter that course materials are mostly untouched, since the instructor keeps losing track of his (terribly planned) presentation, being carried away into long speeches about the topics above.

The most important thing is:

we are committed to academic freedom, but recognize that academic freedom precludes discriminatory conduct from anyone.  The discussion of diverse ideas, which is an integral part of course content is not discrimination.  An essential part of education is to encourage opinion and explore ideas, which may cause some students discomfort. Faculty have the right to teach, students the right to learn

Where does the college stand in regard to Academic Freedom when classes are not taught properly? Or is it not important, what is actually taught in class, as long as the instructor has his damned academic freedom