Inside Higher Ed: Civility Code or Loyalty Oath?
In the full knowledge of the commitment that I am freely willing to undertake as a student, I promise to respect each and every member of the college community without regard to race, creed, political ideology, lifestyle orientation, gender, or social status sparing no effort to preserve the dignity of those I will come in contact with as a member of the college community. I promise to Bergen Community College that I will follow this code of responsibility.
1. Honesty, integrity, and respect for all will guide my personal conduct.
2. I will embrace and celebrate differing perspectives intellectually.
3. I will build an inclusive community enriched by diversity.
4. I am willing to respect and assist those individuals who are less fortunate.
5. I promise my commitment to civic engagement and to serve the needs of the community to the best of my ability.
The draft policy above — prepared to promote civility and to respond to a series of racial incidents — has led to an intense (and civil) debate at Bergen Community College, in New Jersey. Many professors are aghast at the draft, comparing it to a loyalty oath, and saying that it would make it a punishable offense for a conservative student not to “embrace and celebrate” the ideas of Michael Moore or for a liberal student not to do the same with Ann Coulter. Like loyalty oaths, one idea was to have students sign it (and some feared professors would have to sign too).
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