From Dissent, Mohammed Abed and Murray Hausknecht respond to Martha Nussbaum on the legitimacy—and political utility—of academic boycotts. The path of respectful engagement: The Iranian president’s Columbia visit created the impression that universities have two choices with such figures: keep them away or justify their visits by being rude — there’s another possibility. Professors and Politics (Again): Research coming out today finds (surprise) that faculty members lean to the left — and charges that “groupthink” limits hiring and other decisions. Stuart Taylor Jr. on academia's pervasive PC rot. A review of The State of the University: Academic Knowledges and the Knowledge of God by Stanley Hauerwas. From CT, a review of The Baylor Project: Taking Christian Higher Education to the Next Level. A new report exposes the influence of Christianity in British schools and universities and the consequent religious skew in education. One more chance to get into Eton: The two years leading up to university are critical and so is your choice of sixth form. From The Economist, from broken windows to broken schools, bringing accountability and competition to New York City's struggling schools, imperfect though it is, New York's attempt to improve its schools deserves applause, while elsewhere in America, school reform is slower and messier, but the pressure for change is coming from parents, which bodes well. Research suggests early academic skills, not behavior, best predict school success. Where students can't hug: Draconian bans on public displays of affection in a growing number of schools have parents and students up in arms. Has the concern about harassment gone too far? A review of The Sandbox Investment: The Preschool Movement and Kids-First Politics by David L. Kirp.
