Should I take this Grad School Class? Need Advice!!!!

[UCLA Dem]

This will be my last semester in graduate school and I will have finished my Master of Public Policy.

I signed up for this class not knowing who was the professor. It was a "political leadership" class and I only knew it would be taught by a political professional.

This "political professional" as it turns out is a major R!!!

Here's her bio:

"...has been a legislative advocate for over 25 years in Sacramento and Washington, D.C. She has worked for two Presidents, Ford and Reagan, as well as Vice-President Cheney on Capitol Hill and Wyoming. She was the Director of the State of California Washington, D.C. office for five years. She has worked for two California Governors, two California State Senators, and the Los Angeles City Council."

Should I stick it out? Would it develop my skills to work against the other side when I'm done?? Or should I get the hell out??

The class is about "leadership" principles and philosophies, including ironically "group think!"

[kiahzero]

1. You could probably gain something from it

I'd take it.

[cynatnite]

2. Maybe try it out and see how it goes...

If the RW agenda becomes what the course is all about then I'd have second thoughts. It would also be an opportunity to take her down a notch. Maybe that's not ethical, but it sure as hell would be entertaining since she worked for Darth Dickless.

[UCLA Dem]

11. Normally, I would do it that way but...

The class is structured as an "intensive," so we go 2 long weekends, 4 full days each.

So, if I'm in it, I've got to finish it.

[angstlessk]

3. Won't hurt to learn in the innermost thinking of the 'other side'..and you

might be able to get in some good points from 'our side'? Just sayin..never made it to grad school myself. Good Luck!

[H2O Man]

4. Yes. Of course

you should take it.

[EFerrari]

16. Really? You think so? I don't know if I'd put my transcript in the hands

of someone like that.

I remember one of my profs tried to give me a "B" for ignoring his claim about the cult of the Virgin Mary when scholarship had moved on in the forty years since he'd last read about the subject. The consequences for me could have been pretty drastic.

It sounds silly but the power imbalance needs to be attended to, imho.

[NorCalDem]

5. Start taking it

and if it's bad switch you're grading option to "auditor" so that you aren't recieving a grade. Then you can debate her in class and try to knock her down in front of other students (in hopes of exposing her Bullshit) and not worry about your grade being negatively affected by it. Best of both worlds in my opinion, and i'm a grad student at Berkeley, so i know what i'm talking bout :D

[Warpy]

6. If you could manage to get through it

without scratching her eyes out and snatching her baldheaded, you might be able to go on to develop counter measures against all their tactics.

Just take very careful notes.

[Ex Lion Tamer]

7. Yes. If she's good, she's good--regardless whether she's D or R.

If she sucks, she sucks--regardless whether she's D or R.

More likely to suck if R, though.

:)

[question everything]

8. If the class allows for discussions and questions

not just sitting and taking notes and tests, you should.

This will be an opportunity for you to express your opinions, to have open discussions, to see where she is coming from and why she holds the positions that she hold.

We really do not want to spend our time in a "groupthink" where everyone thinks alike and there are no disagreements.

And, being from California, and working for Ford and Reagan, I would say she is not as rabid RW as DeLay and the others.

One reason why the Democrats have swept the CA government is that in the past decade, or so, they put only right wingers that lost in the general elections. So if she is from earlier time, she has to be a moderate one.

Who knows, you may find some areas of agreements and it will certainly help you in your career to be familiar with all points of view and their rationale.

Good luck. Let us know what you've decided and what grade you finally got :)

[BOSSHOG]

9. Its always good to expose oneself to varying

"philosophies." This one sounds too good to be true. A protege of dick cheney teaching leadership; that's hilarious. You go get you some of that group think.

[Captain Hilts]

27. Right. Take a copy of Irving Janis's book with you to class EVERY day. nt

[Rabrrrrrr]

10. Yes. You learn more from those unlike you than those like you, IMO.

You will probably come out a much stronger, and more knowledgable, Democrat.

It will be an environment in which you will be forced to do some serious thinking behind your beliefs, because they will be challenged so much by her.

What an exciting opportunity!

[Richard Steele]

12. That's a tough one. You need much more information.

I would ask around about this person.
Get some opinions from Profs you trust; find
some people who have actually taken the class.

Not everyone with an (R) is NECESSARILY a goosestepping
fascist; if she's one of the rare "good ones", then this
class could be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that
you would regret missing.

If she's just a TYPICAL modern Repub, then I'd say "f*ck that noise".

[EFerrari]

13. I'd get the hell out. There's nothing there you can't learn in a more

thoughtful environment. If you want to challenge yourself, lift weights. lol

[UCLA Dem]

15. Love it!

[sharp_stick]

14. I'd take it but...

Be alert to a desire to kiss the Bush cutout that she will keep at the front of the class. That is the first sign these cult leaders use to determine that their repuke programming is working.

I should never have watched that Jesuscamp documentary.

[Captain Hilts]

17. Are you looking for affirmation or an education? nt

[UCLA Dem]

18. Honestly I just want to finish!!! I wish I was more noble at this point, but I'm so tired of school!

[Captain Hilts]

25. I understand. DON'T take it. Get that sheepskin and get out!! nt

[PistolSteve]

19. OT: Sorry about your UCLA loss ;)

[UCLA Dem]

21. Yup, it was a true heart breaker! I hope we have more of those.

[OrangeCountyDemocrat]

28. UCLA Loss?

What UCLA loss?

[Strawman]

20. I'd take it

If it's unbearably tiltled you could always drop. But my guess is that it will be more of an apolitical course about the policymaking process than hard-right political ideology.

[warrens]

22. Pass/Fail is your friend

Just in case. Just because she disagrees with you doesn't mean it will affect your grade. Might get some insight into the enemy, too.

[Buzz Clik]

23. Do you think you cannot learn from a Republican?

I'd be more inclined to take a class from someone who does not think like me rather than someone who does.

[UCLA Dem]

24. Thanks all for the advice.

I think for my last semester, I will suck it up and challenge myself more than I wanted to.

It will be interesting to say the least and I'll keep you posted...


Thanks!!

[lectrobyte]

26. You can learn something from anyone. THey obviously have

experience, so hold your nose and go for it.