My name is Tiffany Martínez. As a McNair Fellow and student scholar, I’ve presented at national conferences in San Francisco, San Diego, and Miami. I have crafted a critical reflection piece that was published in a peer-reviewed journal managed by the Pell Institute for the Study of Higher Education and Council for Opportunity in Education. I have consistently juggled at least two jobs and maintained the status of a full-time student and Dean’s list recipient since my first year at Suffolk University. I have used this past summer to supervise a teen girls empower program and craft a thirty page intensive research project funded by the federal government. As a first generation college student, first generation U.S. citizen, and aspiring professor I have confronted a number of obstacles in order to earn every accomplishment and award I have accumulated. In the face of struggle, I have persevered and continuously produced content that is of high caliber.
I name these accomplishments because I understand the vitality of credentials in a society where people like me are not set up to succeed. My last name and appearance immediately instills a set of biases before I have the chance to open my mouth. These stereotypes and generalizations forced on marginalized communities are at times debilitating and painful. As a minority in my classrooms, I continuously hear my peers and professors use language that both covertly and overtly oppresses the communities I belong to. Therefore, I do not always feel safe when I attempt to advocate for my people in these spaces. In the journey to become a successful student, I swallow the “momentary” pain from these interactions and set my emotions aside so I can function productively as a student.
Today is different. At eight o’clock this morning, I felt both disrespected and invalidated. For years I have spent ample time dissecting the internalized racism that causes me to doubt myself, my abilities, and my aspirations. As a student in an institution extremely populated with high-income white counterparts, I have felt the bitter taste of not belonging. It took until I used my cloud of doubt and my sociological training to realize that my insecurities are rooted in the systems I navigate every day. I am just as capable if not more so than those around me and my accomplishments are earned.
This morning, my professor handed me back a paper (a literature review) in front of my entire class and exclaimed “this is not your language.” On the top of the page they wrote in blue ink: “Please go back and indicate where you cut and paste.” The period was included. They assumed that the work I turned in was not my own. My professor did not ask me if it was my language, instead they immediately blamed me in front of peers. On the second page the professor circled the word “hence” and wrote in between the typed lines “This is not your word.” The word “not” was underlined. Twice. My professor assumed someone like me would never use language like that. As I stood in the front of the class while a professor challenged my intelligence I could just imagine them reading my paper in their home thinking could someone like her write something like this?
In this interaction, my undergraduate career was both challenged and critiqued. It is worth repeating how my professor assumed I could not use the word “hence,” a simple transitory word that connected two relating statements. The professor assumed I could not produce quality research. The professor read a few pages that reflected my comprehension of complex sociological theories and terms and invalidated it all. Their blue pen was the catalyst that opened an ocean of self-doubt that I worked so hard to destroy. In front of my peers, I was criticized by a person who had the academic position I aimed to acquire. I am hurting because my professor assumed that the only way I could produce content as good as this was to “cut and paste.” I am hurting because for a brief moment I believed them.
Instead of working on my English paper that is due tomorrow, I felt it crucial to reflect on the pain that I am sick of swallowing. My work is a reflection of my growth in a society that sees me as the other. For too long I have others assume I am weak, unintelligent, and incapable of my own success. Another element of this invalidation is that as I sit here with teary eyes describing the distress I am too familiar with, the professor has probably forgotten all about it. My heartache can not be universally understood and until it is, I have to continue to fight. At this moment, there are students who will never understand the desolation that follows an underlined “not.” There are students who will be assumed capable without the need to list their credentials in the beginning of a reflective piece. How many degrees do I need for someone to believe I am an academic?
At this moment, I am in the process of advocating for myself to prove the merit of my content to people who will never understand what it is like to be someone like me. Some of you won’t understand how every word that I use to describe this moment was diligently selected in a way that would properly reflect my intellect. I understand that no matter how hard I try or how well I write, these biases will continue to exist around me. I understand that my need to fight against these social norms is necessary.
In reality, I am tired and I am exhausted. On one hand, this experience solidifies my desire to keep going and earn a PhD but on the other it is a confirmation of how I always knew others saw me. I am so emotional about this paper because in the phrase “this is not your word,” I look down at a blue inked reflection of how I see myself when I am most suspicious of my own success. The grade on my paper was not a letter, but two words: “needs work.” And it’s true. I am going to graduate in May and enter a grad program that will probably not have many people who look like me. The entire field of academia is broken and erases the narratives of people like me. We all have work to do to fix the lack of diversity and understanding among marginalized communities. We all have work to do.
Academia needs work.
TIFFANY MARTÍNEZ 
Reblogged this on Wide Awake But Dreaming and commented:
This is what so many women of color face every day–
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Reblogged this on imaginethis.
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I had a similar experience in the academic field as well!
I was 16 and had to write a paper in English (I am chilean living in Chile), when I got it back at the end of the final page it said “Just a copy!”. I immediately argued that I didn’t do such thing, I had produced the essay myself. My teacher didn’t quite believe me that graded the essay as it was not to copy and had a great mark. 😁
It bothered me at first but then I realised that I was just an outstanding student, better than anyone else in my class (I don’t want to sound pedant but now over the years I can understand what was going on. My peers weren’t as keen as I was about school). I think it was the teacher’s job to be suspicious over the student that stand out, that’s all.
Spanish is my first language and I have worked very hard to acquire a second and a third language.
Don’t you dare mark me down because I’m “too good”. Truth is I am amazing, deal with it! Jajaja xd
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So, I’m not cool with you being treated like that, especially considering your listed credentials. But why didn’t you stand up to your professor in person? If you’re being publicly humiliated why not be empowered and defend your abilities? This blog post comes off as almost passive aggressive.
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This is not exactly fair. Yes, she could have stood up to him, but that could have escalated the situation, it could have furthered the embarrassment, it could have become a disruption to her situation (whether this is realistic is irrelevant to what a person feels could happen). The author does not out the professor with the desire to conduct a witch hunt, the author is just venting about a bad thing that happened to her.
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It obviously is your word. Don’t let that ignorant professor get you down. If I were you, I would try to get some of the other professors or administrators involved. You have been accused of plagiarism, in a willy-nilly and discriminatory way. That’s a serious accusation- one I would not take lightly.
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Bravo for speaking out! I too have experienced such lunacy. I finished my masters 22 years ago and am a veteran so my skin was a little thicker and prepared for battle. No one can take your intellect or how you value yourself unless YOU surrender it. Good thing about your article is you are taking your power back!
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Reblogged this on b l e a c h e d r e a l i t y and commented:
This hurt my heart to read.
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As a white woman, I’m so, so sorry, Tiffany. Thank you for being brave and speaking up. Keep telling your story and fighting for your dreams! I support you and believe in you, and there are many others who do too. Peace to you, friend.
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Dear Tiffany, the same bigotry exists in England, but there is an added discrimination is in how we speak because it defines our class. To counteract your professor I would suggest he spells Color and nite for you, if he spells it the way I expect it will read Color and nite, then you can tell him that the following is English… Colour and night and he is incorrect in his use of the language.Stay strong and retain that spirit…from an old guy in England who is an academic and works for a University.
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He would probably spell them “color” and “night” because those are the correct spellings in American English.
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Congratulations Tiffany, because you are well on your way to becoming the typical jargon-spouting, personally affronted at every turn academe that marks the highest levels of the profession. I have no idea why your professor (was it only one prof, because you use the pronoun “they” so it was not clear) thought you had plagiarized and I cannot tell from your post exactly how that was addressed in your personal interaction which you say occurred in front of the entire class. Did the prof speak to you in front of everyone? You posted a picture of the prof’s comment which does indeed seem accusatory and unprofessional. While I don’t have all of the facts of this incident, I cannot understand why you leap to conclusion that this is about race. Your reaction seems as overblown as the professor’s. Your last name is as common as Smith or any other last name in this country and certainly no reason to assume one is a novice English speaker. I don’t know how old you are, but if anything the prof might be associating the word “hence” with an older person’s writing style and thinking it’s an odd word choice for a young person. Many, many students incorporate words and ideas from sources into their work (generally inadvertently) without proper citation and profs have to try and parse it out and correct it. It is tiresome work, and I understand your hurt feelings when it wasn’t true in your case. What I don’t understand is your knee-jerk response about being “othered” in what has got to be one of the most liberal, enlightened cultures one can find: a University. It is fascinating to see you rattling out your credentials and theories and grievances to stick it to the very system you wish to be part of. I do agree the academy needs a LOT of work, mainly in staying even remotely relevant to the culture at large. It will never ever love you back, and that has nothing to do with your ethnic heritage and everything to do with its own antiquated, elitist approach. Why do you wish to be part of such a system?
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Wow, defensive much?
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By the way, my accusation of defensiveness was towards commenter MonicaLyn, not Tiffany. The prof has accused Tiffany of plagiarizing. Of course she has a strong reaction.
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Every word you used to dismiss her feelings and her reality of the situation is actually the problem. If you have not lived in her shoes, stop dismissing her walk.
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I don’t know in what world you are living but Tiffany’s last name is not as common as Smith, that’s why she belongs to a minority. I’m an immigrant and I use the word hence in my written reports all the time, so it’s wrong to assume that you need to be an old person to use that word. Your arguments are utterly ridiculous and as many Americans , you live on a bubble where you only can understand your own little rrealigning your own narrow minded small world.
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Monicalyn, you’re an idiot. She used the pronoun “they” to avoid identifying the professor’s gender. It’s an acceptable gender-neutral pronoun. More importantly, this wasn’t just about one comment or one public shaming. Clearly the context of the article was that this experience was a microcosm of what the author experiences every day, not an isolated incident of what you naively believe to be the perception of racism. As a woman, I am surprised that you can not relate to this. Good for you if you’ve managed to live in the only pocket of civilization where sexism and racism doesn’t exist, but for the rest of us, it’s real.
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Whether her name has a degree of commonality is irrelevant. Her professor knows what race she is. The phrase “this is not your word” is “white speak” for “typically we find that people of your * (race, gender, ethnicity, educational background, socioeconomic status, etc) do not have the intelligence level to properly execute this * (language, position, concept).
It doesn’t happen just in academic situations, but in the workplace, social media and the Internet in general. I cannot count the number of times when someone has become vile during a game of Words With Friends due to the fact that upon reading my gaming profile and deciding that I’d be a quick and painless win for them, they were confronted with my vast knowledge of not only the English language, but the rules/strategies which help boost my chances of victory. I should not have to justify my vocabulary by indicating that my mother chose to start teaching me my alphabet at 2; or that spelling lessons started when she discovered Scrabble and used our nightly games to increase the language capacity of myself and my older brother. This is the same mother who while never graduating high school, had no trouble doing the NY Times crossword puzzle in ink, rarely missed a question while watching Jeopardy and regularly offered her services free of charge to help my father’s congregation file their taxes during tax season and handled the finance books of both my father’s church, the church’s day care center and 2 additional churches she attended following my parent’s divorce.
You are a part of the societal pressures that ATTEMPT to hold us down. But with each new generation, we become stronger in our resolve and much to your dismay, our intelligence levels are climbing even higher.
You don’t and won’t win!!
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Nothing more intellectual than arguing that racism doesn’t exist in Universities because they’re liberal havens. Turns out the swastikas and nooses that have been popping up? Not racist no more!
And I love the last line, where you go beyond simple skepticism that there was a racial element in the professor’s assessment of this work and actively deny it by saying that it has nothing to do with her ethnic heritage. Seriously, why even bother expressing sympathy or implying skepticism if you’re only going to end up denying that a person who you do not even know was not being racist towards a person you know from a single blog post?
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Since you can apparently read a statement that an event happened in front of the class, and yet not understand that it happened in front of the class, I can certainly see why you find jargon and the singular “they” confusing. Given that your mastery of such simple concepts is so appalling, however, it might be better if you were to admit your own limits, rather than to lecture others on whether their experiences are real experiences or not.
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shut the fuck up you cracker ass bitch… you dont understand her argument because you are WHITE. If someone did this to you, how would you feel?
You’d take your lily white ass to any administrator who’d listen and rant and rave. I dont think its too far of a leap to imagine her professor is imparting bias against her in this case. She clearly stands by her work as original, so why would a professor be such a douche and go so far out of the way to act like this?
You need to stop policing against people like her, and start embracing the fact that our country is fucked… otherwise you risk coming off like more of a DUMB, WHITE, RACIST FUCKING CUNT
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This happened to me at Newbury College, sadly also in Massachusetts. And I had not realized how bad it messed me up until now.
I actually dropped out of College because of 2 separate, but similar incidents. I had no outlet to vent then
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Dare I hope that your professor will read your post? Because it’s quite clear to me that your voice is indeed academic, even brilliant, and that they have an awful lot to learn. I am so, so sorry you experienced this (or any other) prejudice. Know that there are more people every day who fight this sort of thing. We are far too few, but our numbers are growing. Know also, that you are a better writer than some professors I’ve known! Not to mention incredibly strong and brave. And, should you experience any further self-doubt, just come on back here & we’ll set you straight 😉💕
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I read your paper and thought you were completely off base unless you are in high school. That is where I would expect that. Unless you are going to work for yourself, demand for your thin skin and victim personality these days are like CD music disks from the ’90’s. Full of content but nobody wants them. The poor way you have reacted to this perceived “Slight” by a professor and bathed in the warmth of all the people running to your aid says volumes about weakness and how you might be in a workplace among several highly educated and different cultures and personalities. Having scholastic resilience, a thick skin and critical thinking and coping skills in a competitive world will help you rise above and manage or even own the company someday. If you hate rejection and are insecure about yourself, never become a screenwriter. Wait until someone glances at your work for a few seconds and tosses it in the trash in front of you.
My toughest and most unreasonable, even belittling (In my mind) professors were the ones who saw I had the most talent and promise and who had the most hope, expectation and respect for me through to the end. As a result I was graduated a few times by the time I was 24 and retired at 40. I have started and sold many companies and strong Latina women, some with no high school education at the beginning came up through my ranks, all they needed was a certain personality and drive. They were unstoppable. I have made other people into millionaires too helping mankind.
If you listen to the comments and accept the mental band-aids the others have offered you here, the only brand you will have to market and sell will be “Tifffany, Professional Victim.” In the companies I worked for in my career which included AT&T, Bank of America, Wells Fargo and Hilton Hotels then my own family of companies, It didn’t matter how many degrees you had or where you went to school.Your inner personality is your biggest anchor to success or failure. And I dismissed many in my career. In a few years when “Blog Stars” and the Kardashians go the way of the gasoline powered car, your brand better be YOU and not some man’s last name.
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Having a professor say she didn’t write her paper is an accusation of plagiarism that could severely damage her grad school prospects if he pushes it forward. That’s not being thin skinned you muttonheaded marvel.
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Please don’t accept this tired, Hollywood version of reality Ms Martinez, ie, the world is a dick, you gotta become a dick like I did to get on. Yes, the world is a dick, but the real tough thing to do is call it out with all your fragile self intact, not buried beneath some toughen up girl bullshit. Feel free to answer with derision, Mr Ferreira.
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What Tiffany is describing is not a professor being a tough nut to crack. He’s not like the Chemistry teacher that only hands out one A per year and that person better have earned it. He did not respond that way to Tiffany because the professor wanted to toughen her up for “real life.” He responded that way because she’s a Latina, and therefore, it’s not feasible that she could use create her own sentence using the word “hence.” It’s clear, Mr. Ferreira, that you pride yourself on making people feel miserable and small. I’m sure that you spend your days finding underlings to castigate in order to prop up your failing ego. I’m sure you enjoy telling people “toughen up,” and “Learn to take it. Don’t be a victim.” If you are friendless, spouseless, and lonely, you deserve it.
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sounds like we have another Drumpf here.
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Now that we have your life story, are you actually going to respond to the author’s very well articulated point? This isn’t about you.
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Very tired of narcississt misogynists like Michael Ferreira. Victimization is real, and blaming the victim for feeling humiliated is a sick tactic of diversion from the problem. The shame in this story belongs to the professor, not Tiffany Martinez. Voicing this injustice is welcome and important forward movement for our culture.
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Are you a minority? If not, your argument is irrelevant because you know nothing of LIVING the reality vs VIEWING the results.
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Push on, Tiffany. I allowed myself to be thwarted by a counselor at SCORE (a branch of the SBA), because I’d written a business outline he believed that someone of my race and gender without a degree could not have managed alone. I sat in that office and had him refuse me the assistance of the organization because, in his words, “If you aren’t truthful as to who assisted you in preparing this, what would make us believe you capable of operating a successful business”? I was crushed. I enrolled in college, but I never looked back at that outline. I trashed it (something I regret even now). I let him write my inner monologue; and while I went as far as an associate degree, fighting poverty, health issues and life, in general, I never could regain the passion from before.
I congratulate you on your upcoming graduation, and pray that you knock down every one of the academic prejudices that will attack your intelligence. They ARE our words and we are well within our rights to use them.
*We’re also in our rights to seek retribution when wronged, so, report him to his superiors.
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I had a white professor attempt to correct my paper by stating that my usage of the phrase “person of color” was outdated and offensive…in a Sociology of Race class. I clapbacked with a passion and got my points back. I hope the investigation the school has launched into your situation will result in disciplinary actions and sensitivity training for that poor asshat of a professor you’ve had the misfortune of running into.
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Just an idiot asshole professor you must kick her/his ass i think is like many “professors” racist i would like to kill the bitch, keep up Tiff still strong.
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It is sad how people we look upon to behave in a way that isn’t worth it. Stories like yours, and I mean the fact that you were able to think critically and bring the attention of many, inspire me to think that there is still so much change can be done by a small guy… or “gal” 🙂
Wish you stop hurting, be happy and achieve bigger academic goals than most of them.
Zanzebek from http://www.zanzebek.com
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Hi,
I am from Germany and left academia some four years ago, because I felt that its culture was not for me. I tried a PhD and “failed” on a very personal level, but still I was able to accomplish one or two things, which I am still proud of today. In the national library there are three books with my name on it as responsible editor on Social Network Analysis in the Humanities and I remember the work on these anthologies and with my fellow scientists fondly.
Reading your story brought back an episode with one of my professors: We were working on the introduction to the second volume ofmthese books.
My colleage and co-editor had written the first draft and, while I admire him (first generation student with migration background graduated with PhD), his writing always needs editing and correction. I had worked on the second draft between Christmas and New Year, pressed against an approaching deadline. When I send them my version, asking for completion (on aspects which are not my specialty but my professor’s), the draft was literally shoved in my face. My prof criticized my writing, saying it was the worst he ever read (while every other professor during my “career” had told me differently) and assumed that a part which he actually liked must have been written by my colleage, when in fact I had introduced it.
It was the worst experience I ever had and I was glad that he told me on the phone, because by then, I had tears in my eyes. – If not for your other experiences with predjudices and bigotry, I think I can relate to this special experience when you got back your paper. I do not think that I have to write anything further – we both know this kind of feeling.
I wish you all the best for your academic career and aspirations. Show them!
Best regards
Linda
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Reblogged this on fluffysciences and commented:
If you’re a lecturer and you think your student has plagiarised something the way to deal with it is:
1) Put the work through a plagiarism checking service, e.g. TurnItIn, which is capable of recognising sequences other than words
2) If TurnItIn flags the work up as plagiarised check – because TurnItIn is way too sensitive and usually it’s a grammatical error
3) Inform the student what plagiarism is, showing them in the work the examples and show how they can quote without falling afoul of plagiarism – students must be able to change their work for the better after receiving feedback.
4) ??? profit from the improved education of your students?
Sorry this had to happen to Tiffany 😦
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your prof is an idiot. you should get him into trouble for slandering you like that. get him fired. well ok, maybe that’s too extreme… but at least get him into enough trouble that he doesn’t continue to treat students like that.
there is software which can be used to check plagiarism. if he thought that your work was cut and pasted, he should have asked for a soft copy and run it through the software. he would then have found out that he was dead wrong about you and your work.
i hope you never give up. prove that fool and others like him wrong again, and again, and again.
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Dear Tiffany Martínez, I did not even make it to the tertiary level of study before hitting the prejudged wall. I was denied science subjects at high school because “You will just work in pubs and have babies, so you don’t need science.”. I have struggled to make it to the finish line of my degree because I do have babies(63 of them through fostering) and have worked in pubs(as a fully qualified chef), neither of which diminishes my intellect.Do not give up dear one. Prove the idiot with the blue pen -WRONG. Also I hope you send a letter to the upper echelons of the educational institution and let them know how wrong their staff member is.
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Thx for writing such a great research whatever response you received.
Yes, we’ll be working on it
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I just read this and wanted to offer some support and sympathy. That’s such an awful experience; so horribly demeaning. Please keep going. Please keep being brave. You are blazing a trail for people who lack your strength and need your courage. Good luck.
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Dear Tiffany, as a fellow academic, I am shocked and horrified for you. While I have never been on the receiving end, I have seen behaviour like this all around. I am so sorry it happened to you. I hope you won’t let bigots like this break your spirit, but persevere on and achieve all that you want in your professional life. Good luck to you !!!
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I’m a grad student as well (Berkeley). What you’ve described is appalling. I’m honestly flabbergasted that any professor would treat a grad student like that. You have a real and substantive complaint here. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.
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Hiya Ms. Martinez. I used to be a college lecturer, and there are times I leveled an accusation like this against a student. It was never done because of how they looked or what their name was, it was — always — because I’d read their writing all semester, and then suddenly received an end-of-term essay that was head and shoulders above their prior work, that spoke with a different voice than they had, and that was (as it turned out, with 100% accuracy) copied from an online source.
Your professor is, to use the academic term, an asshat. Even a cursory glance at your blog shows that “hence” — fucking HENCE, really, that’s where they drew the line? — isn’t beyond you. You write with tremendous eloquence and passion, even here, even casually, even just for personal reflection and private consumption.
That said, not only were they wrong in their accusation of you, but they, in my opinion, leveled that accusation in an entirely unprofessional way. There are laws, federal laws, in place that protect students’ privacy where their grade is concerned, and there is, even if those laws weren’t in effect, a more professional and polite way to handle this sort of thing. I got paid utter garbage as an adjunct, but every time I had to handle the unpleasantness of cheating, I did so through appropriate channels, I did so quietly, I did so politely, and I never, once, let a single other student have any idea anything was wrong until well after the fact. If I can muster up that much simple professionalism, surely someone with a “Dr.” in front of their name can do the same.
What this professor did to you was wrong on about a half-zillion levels, and I’m sorry they did it. I don’t have much else to say but that, really; it was shitty, and on behalf of the profession, I apologize for their behavior.
I don’t know your relationship within your department or how comfortable you’d feel doing so, but if you think it would help, don’t hesitate to speak to a department chair, or your adviser. It’s their job to see to it students are treated with dignity, respect, and fairness. Right now, that certainly doesn’t seem to be the case.
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Great prose! I teach scientific writing and I would love to see my students write with your skill!
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Exactly!
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I admire the quality of the writing in your blog entry, except for this one sentence, which baffles me. Perhaps you should consider editing it:
“For too long I have others assume I am weak, unintelligent, and incapable of my own success.”
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I think it was clear from the context that she meant – “For too long, others have assumed that I am….”
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“For too long I have HAD others assume I am weak, unintelligent, and incapable of my own success.”
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Get a life
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You found one sentence in her entire work to criticize.
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Exactly, and I thought she might appreciate someone pointing it out so she could fix it. Other replies suggested possible fixes, but you opted to go all defensive and hostile on her behalf. You “went low,” and I doubt that she will appreciate that kind of “support.”
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Hey beautiful girl with the beautiful name and the beautiful soul!
My name is Ioanna and I live in Athens, Greece. I would like to say that you don’t need to prove anything to anyone, other than yourself. The world, unfortunately, is full of stupid people thinking they are better than others. We can see them everywhere. If you pay attention to their opinion you feed them and empower them. Don’t do it. Get it out of your system and move forward. And keep on smiling with that gorgeous smile of yours. And keep using those “fancy” words that some shity-minded people think they are “not yours”. They are yours and nobody can take them away from you! Life is a bitch, but it can be awesome also! Choose to be awesome!! 😀
Love from Greece!
P.S. exsuse my poor english! 😉
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Please, you English is many things, but not poor. I would actually say that it is really freaking good.
I don’t know if it was intentional but one mistake that I see is on the word “excuse” 🙂
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This is such a touching post. I believe our backgrounds don’t define the abilities we may have, no one is better than the other. We are different, we excel in different things. But I guess it’s a stigma, something we live with.
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I had a sociology professor tell me “sociological” isn’t a word and took points off a paper for it. I’m Korean American.
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Congrats tiffany.nice work on your blog.
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File an official complaint! What a disgusting example of sexism, racism and abuse of power all rolled into one. Utterly unprofessional and unacceptable in this day and age. Sympathy sent to you from Ireland..
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Sue the bastard.
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When you’ve worked so hard not to doubt yourself. This was very well written. I love your language.
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As a white male, I’ll tell you that hearing your name did not trigger any negative thoughts about you…seeing your loaded, radical, subversive, balkanizing language did though. You’ve wasted your time on gender and ethnic studies but will inevitably end up complaining about how few women there are in technical fields. I’m assuming your professor is not white, as his/her race is not mentioned.
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Do you think she was just being difficult?
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“As a white male” yep everything that follows here sounds about right for a person who won’t even try to understand the position of a person who is not set up as a white male in society. I hope you grow one day but until you move past such arrogance, you can’t. Typical alt-right puffed up internet opinion straight out of the anti-fem internet youtube atheist handbook, looking down on stuff you’ve never taken the time to understand well enough to know its value so you just assume it has none.
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You are gross, John.
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So, unfairly accusing students of plagiarising in a public forum, based on the evidence of a single, common connecting phrase used in the right context is okay then?
Rightio.
Do tell me how often that has happened to you, John.
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I’m a white guy, too, John — and I’m straight, so I’ve got the whole trifecta rockin’ in my favor, I mention all that so that you take my opinion seriously — and, brother, if you think she was being loaded, radical, subversive, and balkanizing, I just don’t know what to tell you. For someone so quick to deride a greater understanding of gender, race, and how they influence people every day, you’re also awful quick to bemoan the negative thoughts you experienced by someone’s venting post on their blog. Careful, don’t let the rest of the white guy union find out, or they’ll tease you for being triggered so easily.
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From a woman in a technical field (to continue with the credential-listing), I would say this post isn’t a waste of time, nor are ‘gender and ethnic studies.’
‘Loaded, racial, subversive, balkanizing language’ … what’s interesting to me is unpacking why this piece provoked this reaction in you.
Why would this woman’s subjective account of an event make you think her language is ‘loaded’? (perhaps because makes explicit her view, and the view of thousands, that she received inaccurate, shaming and unfair punishment?); racial (what’s wrong with discussing race?), subversive (ooh, now this is an interesting one … what important/sacred/proper/status quo, unnamed ‘thing’ is she subverting here, exactly, by explaining her point of view …? really, would love to know) or balkanizing (was the balkanizing event not the original divisive act, in the first place, as opposed to the act of her writing about it?)
It can be hard when one’s fundamental assumptions are questioned … in some, there is a desire to react, to smash the thing that makes them feel cognitive dissonance.
Many who are used to having full narrative control, white or male or otherwise, feel under threat today … Is there something about this post that is threatening … ?
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Anon, while everything you said makes perfect sense, I’d like to offer a critical observation, that might apply to your comment, but is meant to be a reaction to a broader phenomenon:
I think it is best to separate the tool set for discussion of “ethics, morality” from that of “logic, science”.
I’ll try to explain what I mean – Just as we don’t usually refer to Biology as a subset of Chemistry, or Chemistry as a subset of Physics, ethics is on the one hand a subset of ‘human reasoning’, but the complexity, required tools, axioms and most importantly – brain parts involved in processing are different.
The starting point can then become, for example “all men are created equal”. A logical first perspective would discard this statement from the start, first since how did you get that axiom from? And second she is not a man. She is a woman. So it wouldn’t imply anyway.
I’d like to suggest starting from the “ethics” tool set, I see a privileged bully, who sees his born status as something that makes him inherently better. I would like to throw in an empirical observation that reasoning with such a person will not help, and might even pander to his ego, since he is getting attention.
It might not be a pleasant truth, but fighting bullies is done with force. In this case, probably best case the force of the legal system, helped by public shaming, and if that fails, non-violent resistance.
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As another white male I feel compelled to note that your comment is offensive on numerous levels.
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As another white male and scholar, I feel sorry for you, John. You just accused someone of being subversive, yet you tried to denigrate her for making a fair assessment. From your language around women and ethnic studies (two largely expanding fields), paired with the fact that you’re obviously a male, you seem to have a giant chip on your shoulder, especially in regard to women in the academe. Or, you’re just a douche bag, academically speaking of course! 😉
Also, as a modern Balkan historian who researches ethnic conflict, I’m amused by your use of the word “balkanizing.” That’s really antiquated and arguably, now, a hollow term. I’m assuming you are a really old white male that curses change in the academe? The old white men’s club, if you will.
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People are too PC here. In the sense hell yes, he should be sacked. ASAP that is.
My opinion is not based on my gender, ethnicity, or anything to do with my identity. It has to do with morals and facts. Also I don’t give a damn if you find a spelling mistake in this response. I do well for a living without perfect spelling, thank you.
Throughout human history bullying took place as long as it did because the bully had the victim convinced he is less worthy. You keep seeing the same vulgar indoctrination over and over again – stereotyping, public shaming, juvenilization (which is exactly what is done in a comment here, which categorizes her legit complaint as ‘loaded’. Perhaps you would like to add it might be that time of the month?).
I don’t get you Americans. Not T. Martinez, but the surprisingly large chunk of the population who insist on being so polite and PC about what seems, at least from the outside, as extreme levels of bullying within your country being excepted as normal. You are raised on Liberal values as those expressed (even if not actually implemented), in the constitution. You had your Rosa Parks, your Martin Luther King Jr., Abraham Lincoln, etc.
You also live in an age where knowledge is accessible and free via the internet. You all know how to read. So you can look up what it took to get the British out of India, the Nazis out of Europe, the French monarchs out of power etc. So you have not excuse for ignorance.
It was not pandering, it was not playing nice. The bully did not give up power willingly. Either if this is ethnic, racial, sexual, class based bullying, it seems you have it all. So stop the PC and fight for your rights!
(For the easily offended: Obviously Non-Violent protest tends to work better and is more moral, but that was never really much of a debate in the US since Malcolm X, AFAIK).
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Dear John,
In your single-minded response, you demonstrated just the mindset of the individuals causing the problem. We know you exist and we are unimpressed by your ability to always come to the defense of your comrades. We see it, and live it all the time.
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I agree with all of the other comments, tiffany, your achievements are something you can be so proud of, no matter what one or another small minded professor says👌 but I’d like to give an example of the opposite side. I’m a blonde, blue-eyed German girl with normal grades, yet almost everyone expects me to do better than my friends because they are not “originally German”. Neither am I, but that doesn’t matter because I look as if . What I try to say is: no matter in which side you are(saddest aspect of this is that we still have “sides”), it’s hard to live up to anyone’s expectations and nobody should have to get downgraded for something they are not to blame for, like ethnicity, skin-colour or any other aspect of outer appearance. I really look forward to read more of your work! (and I apologize for my English:-D )
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My sister shared your post on her Facebook feed as something she related to in her own life of academia.
I chose a different path. But still I was enraged. Still am.
I responded to my sister’s post by expressing my belief that you would school your professor. And I hope you do.
As a minor point, that’s not minor at all in context, I found it ludicrous that the word “hence” should be singled out since it’s such an elementary word. Thinking back in my own educational journey, I’m certain I had already encountered it by the time I left middle school (a whole three years after I arrived in this country). So I guess in a way I found that particularly offensive. But of course the entire episode is offensive.
Anyway, ordinarily I wouldn’t post a response. But I can’t help but feel the hurt that accompanies the anger your story evoked in me. And I would like to add my voice to those of all the others showing you support.
I’m certain your success is already written. And if anyone may think it’s written in words that are not your own, remind them that neither are the words theirs. We all share them, after all.
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Yes, as a woman and a Doctoral student, I have experienced this several times as well. I’ve been accused of plagiarism (even after submitting my work to innumerable “check sites”) because it doesn’t sound like “my voice”, i.e. too “smart”.
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SHOCKING.
You’d hope a Sociology Dept would be better than this, imagine the other ones not interested in societal structures and norms! And it’s shocking behaviour to humiliate you like that even if you had plagiarised. And aren’t you like a paying customers? What is it with academics and power? It’s your institution’s responsibility to deal with this, and any brand impact they’ll no doubt be worrying about is theirs to own, not you to be blamed.
ALL papers need to be blind marked to avoid racial, as well as gender and other biases. It’s not hard to implement.
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Hi Tiffany! I’m not from the U.S. but I feel so sorry to read your post. I live from the other side of the world, the Philippines. 😊 Stay strong and determined.
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I’m furious that you were subject to that outrageous bigotry. From the racist assumption to the public humiliation, this “professor” should be sacked.
Please keep your eye on your dreams and don’t let this sidetrack you from making the world a better place with your gifts!
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Oh honey, I am sorry and ashamed that any educated person would treat any other human being in this manner. You will be an amazing professor someday I am sure… do not let instances like this ruin you heart, and do not, in return treat someone the same way as retribution… remember your sadness, let it empower your own compassion down the road. Good luck.
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This makes me angry as hell! This arrogant, bigoted Professor just demonstrated high ignorance in grand style! Said professor should be censured, and made to give not only a publc apology in front of all the original students, but the entire institution.
I am White, middle aged, middle class. Let’s not kid ourselves: NOBODY would DARE to accuse me, or an affluent White Student, for using that word!
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Yup. That pretty much sums it up. One also wonders why anyone would bother teaching grad students if they thought “hence” was beyond them. Doesn’t say much for your institution if you think your grad students lack basic vocabulary.
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This is beyond ridiculous. I have taught high school English, edited standardized writing tests, and rated essays for one of the national college entrance exams. In addition, I have been a professional editor for years in various fields (book publishing and advertising mainly). Educators (and editors) have some good ways to check for plagiarism that weren’t available in the past thanks to the Internet. I believe you are correct to think this was motivated by stereotypes rather than the professor genuinely believing the paper was plagiarized. The public “shaming” backs that up; what reason other than a need to feel “bigger” and “better” than you would have motivated such unprofessional behavior? And it saddens me to hear how much prejudice you have encountered in your educational efforts. You are the type of student good teachers dream of and thrive on, the type of writer (clearly!) editors love. Your writing and your efforts ought to be celebrated by those around you because you care, you are intelligent, and you work hard. Most good professions centered around writing and teaching have required coursework or professional training about avoiding bias in language, avoiding bias in grading, and avoiding bias in general. I wonder how this professor ignored all of that. I agree with the comments urging you to report this to a higher authority on campus, make a formal complaint. Most likely, your professor has violated ethical standards agreed to in his or her contract. And I encourage you to keep going, keep writing, keep achieving. And please know that out among your peers and citizens, many of us fight against this kind of prejudice. Keep fighting.
Maybe someday you can get the job of the supervisor of this professor and fire him or her 😉 Or maybe when you are a famous author, you can send the professor a copy of your book!
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Indeed! Well said, Kristi. I’m a fellow teacher (though without Kristi’s breadth of experience). I very much agree that you have good cause to report this, as appropriate in your context. If this professor is doing this to you, blatantly and publically, they are doing it elsewhere. That said, please do not feel you need to take on the entire system – it sounds like you have plenty on your plate as it is. Someone recently reminded me to ‘choose the hill I want to die on’. Pick your battles. It’s the professor who did the wrong thing, not you. Either way, you are clearly a talented and disciplined writer. That’s a skill that no one can take away from you.
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Triggered
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Might wanna trim that neckbeard a bit, kiddo.
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Wonderful article. How terrible that they would treat you like this…
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ya sampai lah menemukan jawaban di blog ini, trims ya , Abby
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