write a critique of two founding fathers of sociology of education?

My rather facetious comments were intended as something of a riff on a number of other much more systematic and insoghtful posts that can be found on various blogs regarding sociology’s standing within the academy and in the public mind. While I never went through an undergraduate sociology education, I share in the impression after talking with others is that the subject is often taught rather dreadfully - without either rigor or verve and imagination - which of course only hurts disciplinary standing. And you’re right, many people translate “I’m studying sociology” into “I’m condemning myself to an impecunious life of vague intellectual or practical utility and perhaps suspect moral value.” Still, I’m a little surprised at the kinds of acid comments that I read and hear that are directed at sociology, as if the field should be held primarily and directly responsible for any number of social, political, cultural, and intellectual ills suffered by contemporary society. Of course, given that I’m studying at a graduate school of *education* I suppose I’d better just learn to develop a thick hide.

Thanks also for drawing attention to NWV; if EdNews has any pretensions to respectability it is a curiosity why they should feel it permissble to include such reprehensible views.

I think that among non-academics the mistrust of sociology comes mainly from two things: its name, which is far-reaching and has too many negative associations, and that it’s seen as the historical root of every wacky “_______ Studies” discipline where the blank is filled by increasingly-fashionable identity subgroups. It doesn’t help that the majority of undergraduate sociology curricula aren’t particularly rigorous compared to disciplines such as economics. As with the other social sciences, I think that sociology - if it wants to - can mature, introduce more rigor and will be seen differently even in 20 years.

Sociology also suffers from giving a non-specific solution to that ever popular question, “What are you going to do with THAT degree?” As someone who recognizes that undergraduate education [with a few exceptions, obviously] is about giving a student basic skills that will be used in every job they’ll ever have, I hate that question. The finest sociology scholars to whom I’ve had access seem to be experts in several related disciplines; I probably would give them 3 other academic labels before ‘Sociologist,’ though I suppose that combination is indeed what makes a fine sociologist.

The EdNews case is a travesty. Articles from NewsWithViews frequently pass through their site as legitimate commentary. Erica Carle is one of the lighter offenses; though not herself worthy of outrage, she’s a link in a chain of worthless content that warrants reaction. Devvy Kidd, another NWV staple, wrote the following regarding Gay/Lesbian/etc groups on campuses:

“How can parents spend the evening out at Applebee’s and ignore these dangerous sodomite and lesbian operations and their agenda? Think this one isn’t coming to your school?” and regarding homosexuals, “A study in the New England Journal of Medicine indicates that the average active homosexual male ingests the fecal material of 23 different men each year (largely from rimming), and that the number of sexual partners averages nearly 100. Homosexual persons, per year, on average fellated 106 different men, swallowed 50 of their seminal ejaculations, and had 72 penile penetrations of the anus.”

Every time I read that I think of Kyle Broflovski’s mom screaming, “Wha-wha-WHATTT?!?” As I wrote on my site, I generally don’t support identity subgroups on high school campuses; even so, this content is outrageous and devoid of any value. The content at NewsWithViews has no place in the education debate and I do hope EdNews.org stops their feed.

It certainly makes me wonder why EdNews is so committed to including NWV’s articles.