Regarding David's dilemma about how to be fair in grading a paper on a
topic (and with a viewpoint) that conflicts with his values: This is an area
about which I, too, am often concerned, especially in relation to my
Psychology of Women course. That course addresses a number of topics that are
values-laden and emotionally-laden - abortion, homosexuality, and genital
mutilation, to name just three. It's not unusual for me to find that my
values conflict with those of my students, so I have worked out a variety of
strategies to deal with that conflict as it affects different aspects of
teaching. Where the paper topic is concerned, I would suggest that while it
doesn't help you (David) decide what to do THIS term, in the future you might
want to consider asking students to obtain instructor approval for their paper
topics before they write the papers. That way, you can head off a problematic
topic. I think your idea of colleague consultation as a way of coping with
the present situation is most ethical and appropriate.
Retta Poe
Department of Psychology
Western Kentucky University
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