Harvard Crimson Quotes Peter Wood on Political Imbalance

Ashley Thorne

The Harvard Crimson has published results of an inquiry into the political donations and affiliations of its faculty members. The article, "Harvard Faculty Donate to Democrats by Wide Margin," shows that in three years, 84 percent of those teaching at the university donated to Democrats, and in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, 96 percent gave to Democrats. In five schools - Dental, Divinity, Design, Education, and Public Health, all donations went to Democrats and none went to Republicans. 

The Crimson quotes NAS president Peter Wood saying that this is a cause for concern:

To the president of the National Association of Scholars, Peter Wood, “disproportionate numbers are manifestly a problem and it is something colleges and universities need to take seriously” should faculty begin being outspoken about their politics in their classes.

Faculty interviewed in the study maintained that they had kept their politics out of the classroom. But renowned Harvard government professor and member of NAS board of advisors Harvey Mansfield said, “The only debate we get here is between the far-left...and the liberals...It gives students a view that a very narrow spectrum of opinion is the only way to think.”

  • Share

Most Commented

October 29, 2024

1.

The Looming Irrelevance of Middle East Study Centers

Today’s Middle Eastern Studies Centers are facing a crisis due to the winds of change in the Middle East and their own ideological echo chamber....

November 19, 2024

2.

Lee Zeldin Should Reform EPA Science Policy

NAS welcomes the nomination of Congressmen Lee Zeldin to lead the Environmental Protection Agency....

November 20, 2024

3.

NAS Welcomes Administrator McMahon's Nomination to Serve as Education Secretary

With McMahon, the new administration has a chance to drastically slim down and depoliticize the Education Department....

Most Read

May 15, 2015

1.

Where Did We Get the Idea That Only White People Can Be Racist?

A look at the double standard that has arisen regarding racism, illustrated recently by the reaction to a black professor's biased comments on Twitter....

October 12, 2010

2.

Ask a Scholar: What is the True Definition of Latino?

What does it mean to be Latino? Are only Latin American people Latino, or does the term apply to anyone whose language derived from Latin?...

May 26, 2010

3.

10 Reasons Not to Go to College

A sampling of arguments for the idea that college may not be for everyone....