Teacher makes students pay for class and exam questions

[BelgianMadCow]

Last edited Fri Feb 21, 2014, 09:20 PM - Edit history (2)

In the course social philosophy, in the second year of bachelor social work, the neoliberal utopia of the American philosopher Ayn Rand was on the agenda. Because learning works not just via theory, but also practice, the teacher tried to make the normative character of neoliberalism tangible. The evening before class, the students got the following message:

Dear students,

After an insight I will tomorrow present the neoliberal philosophy of Ayn Rand. I believe it can solve current problems in society, and will therefore apply it in my classes. This way, you can experience its value first-hand. From the basic axiom of randian philosophy it follows that I have the right to determine, in all freedom, under which conditions you are allowed to acces my product, namely my ideas.

Tomorrow, upon entering the auditorium, I will ask you to pay 5 or 10 euros, depending on whether you choose to follow the entire course or a part. If you want to increase your market value on the labour market with my ideas and name on your diploma, it's only logical that you pay accordingly. Those who cannot pay, will not get the course. From understanding Rand, it has become clear to me that the government unjustly taxes me, one of the Atlases that carry the world and makes the economy go round, based on an absurd idea like "the common good". In doing so, I'm underpaid for my services and courses. Therefore, I have the right to ask you, who live on welfare, namely child allowance and grants, to compensate me for these unjust taxes.

In the game, the teacher had briefed five "moles" and had given them the amount to be paid up front, and they would be the first ones to pay. His moles informed him via screenshots of a Facebook page only privy to students where the students ventilated their opinion of his plans in no uncertain terms.

At the start of class, only the five moles paid. Everybody else refused to pay, which of course, besides the Facebook page, was another act of resistance. Great! During class itself, the teacher presented the randian argument about why he was allowed to be selfish. He explained that the relationship student-teacher would become a purely economical one, in which market laws dictate adequate behaviour.

At the start of the semester, he had informed students they could get exam questions, and now he let them know how to obtain them. They are for sale. Those who already had a decent income had obviously worked hard, and had earned more money. He would sell them an easy set of questions for 10 euro. The fact they had some income was rewarded with easier questions. After all, there's no point in making someone prove themselves twice.
Those with a smaller income could buy a set with difficult questions for 5 euro. Since they hadn't achieved as much, of course they had to prove themselves more. Those without any income got no questions. There's no such thing as a free lunch! It's only fair!

Finally, he warned students they had better pass the first time around, because next year places would be limited to 30 and sold to the highest bidder in a campus auction.

Consternation in the auditorium was total, after which the teacher ended the game and they had a discussion about concepts like individuality, solidarity and the relationship individual-society. I think they get it now.

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This is from a newsletter of a major school associated with one of Belgium's most reputed universities. I couldn't help but giggle and translate it for you, thought you might enjoy. I've also been asked to give a lecture there about democracy, based on my experience in Occupy and the new cooperative bank I'm involved with, NewB. It will be a critique of the current political and economical system, but I will focus on alternatives, like cooperatives and lottery as an alternative to elections. There will be some major Richard Wolff channeling going on.