Worthy work: the National Association of Scholars
The National Association of Scholars is, in its own words:
…a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that seeks to reform higher education. We uphold the standards of a liberal arts education that fosters intellectual freedom, searches for the truth, and promotes virtuous citizenship. To accomplish this mission we defend the academic freedom of faculty members, students, and others through individual advocacy; investigate issues affecting academic freedom, the integrity, purpose, and neutrality of the university and publish our findings as in-depth reports; educate the public about policies and legislation that would preserve the liberal arts and protect academic freedom. These create three pillars from which our work stands: individual advocacy, research reports, and public advocacy.
I suggest you explore their website and consider supporting them. It can be hard to figure out a way to help stem the tide of leftist dominance of education, but feeling defeated and giving up doesn’t seem to me to be the answer. The NAS is fighting back.
I’ve mentioned the group in previous posts, here and here.
Yesterday I was reminded of the group through this comment on the blog by Professor Jay Bergman. I reproduce most of it here; the subject of the thread was the adoption by many school systems of the NY Times’ 1619 Project as part of their curriculum:
This grotesque distortion of American history, meant to demonstrate its irredeemable iniquity, has been rejected publicly and at some length by the National Association of Scholars, on whose board of directors I am pleased and proud to serve. Its research director, David Randall, has produced an incisive and eloquent rebuttal, which is accessible at: https://www.nas.org/blogs/article/how-the-times-1619-project-misses-the-point.
NAS seeks to uphold the liberal arts and a liberal education. In so doing, it regularly exposes the pernicious idiocies that have corrupted American academia. NAS can be contacted online at contact@nas.org and by telephone (917-551-6770).
Anyone in academia who is presently “out” as a defender of these traditions is a courageous and hardy person, swimming against a strong tide. It takes a lot of strength to do that, but it’s very important work.
I was a member of NAS until a few years ago. I even attended a national conference in Boston. It was great to finally be with other academics who were of like mind instead of being isolated. When I joined there were 4 other faculty on my campus who were also NAS members, then I ended up the only one. I dropped my membership as it became obvious, that despite their good work, it was going nowhere. Higher education is a lost cause IMO, and I’m so glad I’m retired. BTW, Jay and I used to communicate a bit since we are both CT based, but like I said, it’s really pissing into the wind. I admire Jay’s stamina. I had none left after years of being threatened with my job (despite having tenure), and verbally attacked by administrators, faculty, students, and alums. The only people who I got any support from were the staff.
Until there are serious financial consequences for higher ed, they will continue along the leftist path, with each older radical faculty cloning themselves with the new hires, so the system perpetuates.
I just finished the article Mr. Bergman recommended, and it is excellent.
A detailed, lucid, and compelling narrative of how the world-wide, age-old institution of slavery was finally eradicated in Britain and its American colonies (pre- and post-independence) mostly by, if I may use the phrase, “old dead white men.”
With significant help from the ladies and from former slaves themselves, of course.
History done right.
https://www.nas.org/blogs/article/how-the-times-1619-project-misses-the-point
I looked at another article, out of personal interest, and found this delightful invitation at the bottom, although not on the 1619 post.
Eva Brann, The Imaginative Conservative (Dec. 2, 2019): Jacob Klein: European Scholar and American Teacher
I have been a member for about 25 years, and plan to continue though I am retired.
I am a stalwart NAS member, and a serious financial contributor.
Peter Wood assumed the presidency some years ago. As a full prof., anthropology, at BU, he had written the first book critical of diversity: “Diversity: The Invention of a Concept” (2003). I emailed him then, found we were both Haverford alums, and have since determined that we can identify only 4 non-leftist alums over the past 50 years: him, R.R. Reno the editor of the most worthy First Things semi-theological magazine, Howard Kurtz of National Review, and me.
NAS has done super work under Wood’s leadership despite its meager resources. It is best if one goes to its website http://www.nas.org to see its work products.
I’ll mention a few:
-“Outsourced to China”, an exposure of the Confucius Institutes that wormed their way onto some 100 American campuses despite being an arm of the Beijing government to spread pro-Chinese propaganda. This report caught Capitol Hill’s attention, yielding an amendment to the 2018 defense appropriations bill making colleges choose between getting DoD money or giving up their Institutes.
So this ChiComm propaganda arm is in gradual full retreat. No small accomplishment!
-“Separate But Equal, Again: Neo-Segregation at Yale”. This 2-year study of race policies at ~200 colleges and universities has received attention from the Wall Street Journal, National Review, and Instapundit, among others.
-“The Irreproducibility Crisis”, a critically important report on the flaws of modern sciences in using slipshod statistics, groupthink, and flawed research techniques.
physicsguy:
When the going gets tough, the tough get going! NAS needs your support. Please rethink.
One need not be an academic to join: membership is open to all who wish to support NAS, with modest annual dues. Retirees are fine!