At N.Y.U., Students Were Failing Organic Chemistry. Who Was to Blame? [New York Times]

The flava:

In the field of organic chemistry, Maitland Jones Jr. has a storied reputation. He taught the subject for
decades, first at Princeton and then at New York University, and wrote an influential textbook. He received awards for his teaching, as well as recognition as one of N.Y.U.’s coolest professors.

But last spring, as the campus emerged from pandemic restrictions, 82 of his 350 students signed a petition against him.

Students said the high-stakes course — notorious for ending many a dream of medical school — was too hard, blaming Dr. Jones for their poor test scores.

The professor defended his standards. But just before the start of the fall semester, university deans terminated Dr. Jones’s contract.

The article:

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/10/03/us/nyu-organic-chemistry-petition.html

Students demand USM replace professor for allegedly saying there are only 2 sexes [Bangor Daily News]

The flava:

Nearly two dozen graduate students at the University of Southern Maine are demanding their education professor be replaced after the professor allegedly said only two biological sexes exist.

The students said professor Christy Hammer’s remarks were inaccurate and transphobic.

After all but one student walked out of Hammer’s class on Sept. 14 in protest, they demanded a facilitated restorative justice meeting between the 22 students and their professor.

The article:

https://www.bangordailynews.com/2022/09/29/news/portland/usm-professor-two-sexes/

What Americans Don’t Understand About Teachers and Professors [The Atlantic]

 The flava:

Last week, I asked readers to tell me what people don’t get about their job. In an economy with thousands of occupations and hundreds of sectors, and where many people within the same large company have no idea what their colleagues do all day, I thought hearing from dozens of people about the reality of their work would be valuable.

I received several hundred replies—from opera singers, TV screenwriters, chefs, neuroscientists, and more. However, no category of workers wrote back more than teachers and professors. Given that education has become polarized and politicized, it makes sense that educators feel misunderstood and underappreciated.

The article:

https://www.theatlantic.com/newsletters/archive/2022/09/what-america-doesnt-understand-about-teachers-and-professors/671590/