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 
you just made it to a big newspaper in Argentina
http://www.lanacion.com.ar/1951790-eeuu-un-profesor-la-acuso-de-plagio-en-un-examen-por-usar-una-palabra-demasiado-erudita-para-ser-latina
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“My last name and appearance immediately instills a set of biases before I have the chance to open my mouth.” This is exactly how I feel every single day since I came to this country. The letters behind my name are invalided by my appearance and last name.
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What happened here sucks but DISCRIMINATION? Seriously?? Why is everything a complaint of racism?
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dis·crim·i·na·tion
dəˌskriməˈnāSH(ə)n/
noun
1.
the unjust or prejudicial treatment of different categories of people or things, especially on the grounds of race, age, or sex.
“victims of racial discrimination”
synonyms: prejudice, bias, bigotry, intolerance, narrow-mindedness, unfairness, inequity, favoritism, one-sidedness, partisanship
Very much so discrimination….
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Yes I know what discrimination is, and yet no one has proven its existence in this matter. Oh wait, the person in question is non-white so it must be.
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You don’t know it has anything to do with race and you should never make that assumption first.
Shameful.
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My middle-class white son had a similar experience in middle school, when his teacher gave him an F on a paper because he had used the word “compilation”. She said there was no way he would know or use that word without cheating. Based on what? Her dislike for him because he was chronically ill and missed class a lot. Bad teachers at every level have far too much power over our psyches. Despite your accolades and obvious qualifications you will dwell on the a*hole professor who just negated your efforts and with the swipe of an ignorant and too-powerful pen, has (temporarily I hope) damaged your will. Don’t. You should report him or her, appeal the grade and expose their ignorance and cruelty.
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So instead of going through proper channels to argue your case you just went out on social media and made a big stink. There are channels: professor, department chair, college dean, university ombudsman. Enjoy the ten minutes of fame while it lasts.
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She should do both. (I have a PhD, btw)
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Its a matter of perspective of this situation. I see where yours is coming from. Well, she chose to share this experience with people whom it would matter to. She didn’t solicit any pity or compassion, so, I really doubt it warrants a response of your sorts. Good day!
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Going public helps others. Your cruel and critical words about seeking fame and making a big stink says more about you than her. Without open and public dialog regarding such issues, more people would suffer not knowing they aren’t alone.
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And you should try to obtain some empathy
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How would you know if she did or did not go through the “proper channels?” Were you there? She doesn’t have to write it to make it true. You’re assuming she didn’t which makes you just as bad in my eyes.
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My feelings precisely.
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Shared this everywhere. My daughter is a sophomore in HS, mixed race and has been getting this since first grade. Keep up the good work, I hope you will be one of her teachers when she gets to the next step.
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“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.”
Toxic mindset. Get to work snowflake.
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Is it toxic because you don’t understand it, because you haven’t experienced it, or you just don’t care. BTW sir, her name is not snowflake. You are absolutely no better..
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I hope you reported him…. What a snob! As if he’s ‘the’ authority on the language! And please, don’t let a fool like him pull you down. Nothing and no one can deny what you have achieved on merit. Congratulations and keep going 😊
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Your last line says it all – academia DOES need work.
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Clear, topical, and spot-on piece. But Yikes! I felt like I’d been time-turner-ed back to 1954 when I read many of the comments, talking about constructed conventions of writing as if they were laws of physics, and defending the indefensible response of your teacher. Bad pedagogy, of course; familiar but bad. But more. We’ve now over a half century of critical work pointing out the implicatedness of ‘English teaching’ in maintaining class, race, gender, and other privileges–Viswanathan on the role of English in maintaining the raj, the wonderful Shirley Brice Heath telling us about how school seals the fates of Piedmont kids, or Paul Willis on the school to dead-end job pipeline. Is nobody listening? I’m guessing not. Great work Tiffany. Keep the faith.
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Reblogged this on | truthaholics.
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This is ridiculous. Some of us first generation “Americans” are wonderful writers! Just because we are labeled as minorities there should be no preconception of our abilities or language skills. For example, I have been writing scientific articles AND being asked by my colleagues to edit theirs for years because I am really good at it! Of course, just because I was born in South America it does NOT mean that I do not have a good grasp of the language (in fact, I know four to some degree). I still have an accent, but I attended a British school AND aced certificates from the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge as a teenager…. This professor should be made to justify their statements and what they based them on. You shouldn’t have to, but you could take your text and run it paragraph by paragraph online to show that the constructs you came up with do not exist.
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And I forgot to say, as a PhD holder, I encourage you to laugh at this person, and keep going towards your goal!
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Reblogged this on .
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I had a similar experience as a student at Walden University doing a PhD. My professor, Dr. Martha Markward after reading my final paper told me that she will have to give me a Zero because the paper is an A paper, but claims that i could not have produced that quality of work. She questioned my accent suggesting that english was not my first language. ( English is my first language British Caribbean) She suggested that I redo another paper which she would grade without prejudice. I declined the offer. This is the worse experience, I have had in this country. After spending several thousand dollars on a phd program I dropped out.
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Hugh,
I’m sorry that you had to such a negative experience in this country. So much so that you gave up on the education that would have allowed you to change the world of academia. I seriously hope that you reconsider and move forward in your education to pave the way for future generations.
This world is in constant transition. This country is still learning. This moment is your to help lead the charge. Please continue your studies, and change the world.
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Thank you J,
Her reaction to my effort killed my spirit and all the academic drive i’ve had.
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Did you speak to someone in student affairs? Don’t let anyone stop you from pursuing your education. You made it this far, don’t give up! I know they don’t tolerate those types of interactions with professors and students. I got this from Walden
Write or call us with a question or problem:
Write Us United States:
1.800.925.3368
Asia, Europe, Middle East, Africa and Australia:
+31.20.713.0200
Canada, Mexico, South America and the Caribbean:
+1.443.627.7222
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I spoke with several people/administration about it, they felt it was my work but didnt want to go against what she was saying. During that very semester i took another class and the professor told me she taught 2 sections of that particular class and i had the highest grade in both sections put together. I remember writing a paper for a white male student for an abnormal psychology undergrad class in Texas. The white male professor gave him an A and i got a C.
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LAH
October 30, 2016 at 2:18 pm
Don’t give up. Who you are and what you’re doing matters. Your presence is important. The implicit racism you’re encountering needs to be addressed, and you have the capacity to effect change through your struggles. And take time for yourself. To replenish. To let go. To find simple quiet in all of this so you can continue. I’m part of the dominant culture. I can go in when I see people of my culture do this and address it from this side. And Tiffany – I do. I know hundreds of people like me who do. Keep up what you’re doing. You aren’t alone in this struggle, and though we can never know what it’s like to be in your situation, we’re working on our side to make change so this kind of insanity fades.
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Reblogged this on curiousreport.
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Are you quite sure the professor wasn’t simply meaning that the use of the word ‘hence’ is incorrect in your text? It is hard to judge from your photograph but I personally wouldn’t deliberately use exclamation marks in an academic paper, especially with a phrase starting with ‘hence’ immediately afterwards.
I know from my own experience that being a minority student may be tough, but it’s better to doublecheck with the professor before making such serious accusations. Now that person’s reputation may be ruined for simplydoing his job – and maybe being impolite to you. That would be a bit too harsh.
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She said at the start she was accused of plagiarism and said it in front of the class. That is purely inappropriate wnd unethical
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Re-write it in Spanish (since according to him, that should be your language), and ask him if he is “academically and smart” enough to comprehend it. Most people who feel threatened by bylinguas, are just reflecting their embarrassment because they can’t speak your language.
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You are a great writer Tiffany. I am sorry that you had to go through the humiliating ordeal. For the sake of our humanity, you must not give up pursuing your dream. The world needs more articulate and intelligent people like you and less of overt and covert racism that unfortunately still exists in many parts of our world in many forms. Making positive changes in any society is a difficult task, but I am sure we will have a better and more equitable world someday. Take care and never give up your dreams.
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I’ve been told not to use hence, thus, and ergo before because they can sound old-fashioned. You may be reading too much into your professor’s comment. You could always ask them to run a plagerism scan.
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I say challenge him to run the whole paper for plagiarism test. When it comes back clear then that is enough to shut him up.
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This post is most likely fake. If you look at the image of her paper. She spelled Latinx population not Latina, Latino or Latin. Latinx is not a word. She also uses an exclamation mark right before the word hence. This is also incorrect because this equates to an emphatic point followed by a statement that’s way less declarative. This leads me to agree with one of the earlier comments on the thread that the professor was telling you that this is the completely wrong usage of hence. Also there are three grammatical mistakes in your post. If you want to be taken seriously in academia, be more buttoned up and precise in your writing. Learn your craft.
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Go fuck yourself: http://www.latina.com/lifestyle/our-issues/why-we-say-latinx-trans-gender-non-conforming-people-explain
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Please read her post. The professor claims she ‘cut and paste’ her words from another source.
Why should the post be ‘fake’ in the first place?
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You are missing the point entirely.
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Latinx is a contemporary variation of Latina & Latino used in PC & POC circles for the sake of inclusivity. Latinx is often used as a gender neutral term for the Latin population in a language that is heavily gendered. I’m not sure what place this term has in academia, but the writer is showing a social consciousness in using this word.
I can’t speak on the more grammatical aspects of your post with much confidence as grammar is not my strong suit, but perhaps it is not yours either:
“If you look at the image of her paper[,] [s]he spelled Latinx population[,] not Latina, Latino or Latin.”
While you found three grammatically mistakes in Tiffany’s lengthy post, I found the same number in the first few sentences of your reply.
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Where did you read her entire paper? Clearly you may understand how to use certain words but not relate to one’s culture. If you want to be taken seriously, ask before ASSuming.
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God, I’m sorry. As a woman I have encountered my fair share of “you can’t do that, you’re just a girl/woman” but I am white so I have not encountered the kind of racism that you have. I am sorry that there are seriously people out there who believe that other people are less than because of their skin color, last name or sex. That is NOT the world that I want my children to grow up in, not the way I want them to think. The whole world needs to remember that we are all members of the human race and as such deserve our respect.
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I do not possess of your talent for composition. Hence, my only response is fuck that guy. Figuratively. Be you.
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I would like to hear the professor’s side of the argument.
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I too would like the Professor’s side of this story plus the other students that were there. Tiffany calls herself a student scholar and I had to laugh at that! The definition of a scholar is : a learned or erudite person, especially one who has profound knowledge of a particular subject. Since she is is still in school learning she is not a scholar except in her imagination.
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You’re a fucking idiot. She obviously has profound knowledge of the subject. But it’s funny you call her out on not being a scholar after you googled the definition. You read this piece and then decided “hmm lemme go look up the word scholar. Such a loser.
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You have no idea what degree she is working on. It seems to me she could be working on her PH.D which would mean she is a scholar and does have profound knowledge as she did state she has made presentations in several states. Maybe you have a comprehension issue? She simply stated she has held down two jobs and has been on the deans list since she started that school. Just because you are working on a higher degree does not mean you are Not a scholar. You sound just like Trump, putting down others. Wake up from your dreamland and come back to Reality.
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Why would you laugh? She was honored with a rare and prestigious McNair scholarship, named after the late African American astronaut. Did you know that? It’s not imaginary. But you make it sound like she is not a student scholar, which she is, by virtue of the award. You sound petty.
I would like to hear the other side, too.
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She is in the McNairs Scholars program. It prepares students for PhD programs. She IS a scholar.
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Actually you’re incorrect. In my graduate program I am called a scholar practitioner. So why can’t she be a student scholar? Try again.
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So your professor is so unbelievably lazy that he embraces stereotypes while grading and can’t even be bother to cut-and-paste parts of your review into a Google search to see if he could actually find any evidence of plagiarism before accusing you? You don’t say it here, but I really do hope you take this to administration. #1) You need actual evidence to accuse someone of plagiarism. #2) You have a conversation privately — you do not confront publicly. Of course, he felt like he could do this to you because of his racial biases. I do hope you pursue this administratively to prove him wrong — as publicly as possible. Good luck!
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A quick word count on this piece shows the extensive use of “I” (& my).
This is not professional in any scientific writing and should be kept to a minimum,
better be avoided all together. Hence “hence” doesn’t seem to be the problem here.
57 x i
45 x the
38 x my
35 x and
31 x of
30 x a
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avoiding “i’ and “my” is very outdated. most now encourage/appreciate active scholarly writing, especially in the humanities.
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And in any case this is not a scientific paper and doesn’t claim to be: it’s a blog post reflecting on the author’s personal experience, so the use of personal pronouns could hardly be avoided.
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So this is your take? WOW.
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A blog post is not an academic paper, and so it does not adhere to the same conventions. Obviously. Oh, the mental acrobatics that people go through to substantiate racist actions. It’s pathetic. I am an adjunct. I teach English on three different campuses, and I have been teaching at the college level for 18 years. The professor in this incident not only violated typical classroom protocol, but also allowed his or her implicit bias against ELL students to negatively affect his or her judgment. And you–commenter tallying up pronouns and articles–have done the latter as well. Make accusations from a place of intelligence, if you must make allegations. Blogs typically feature creative non-fiction, in which it is perfectly acceptable to write in the first person POV. Also–and if you were an actual expert in linguistics or writing, you’d know this–the articles and prepositions like “of” are the most frequently used words in English because they have no synonyms, and they are such vitally necessary components to making clear, coherent meaning in phrases and clauses.
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She was not writing an academic paper in this piece. This is journaling, which warrants the use of the words you counted with what seems like too much time on your hands.
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A blog post is not an academic paper, and so it does not adhere to the same conventions. Obviously. Oh, the mental acrobatics that people go through to substantiate racist actions. It’s pathetic. I am an adjunct. I teach English on three different campuses, and I have been teaching at the college level for 18 years. The professor in this incident not only violated typical classroom protocol, but also allowed his or her implicit bias against ELL students to negatively affect his or her judgment. And you–commenter tallying up pronouns and articles–have done the latter as well. Make accusations from a place of intelligence, if you must make allegations. Blogs typically feature creative non-fiction, in which it is perfectly acceptable to write in the first person POV. Also–and if you were an actual expert in linguistics or writing, you’d know this– articles and prepositions like “of” are the most frequently used words in English because they have no synonyms, and they are such vitally necessary components to making clear, coherent meaning in phrases and clauses. My suspicion is that a lot of the people that are commenting with critiques of Tiffany’s writing are no better writers than she is; they are merely, as a result of having read her post, in a better position to articulate their elitist, self-important, and, yes, biased bullshit about so-called academic writing, or so they think. If they taught college writing consistently, like I do, they would know that the majority of students couldn’t produce a narrative essay that is half as accomplished as this blog post, white, Latinx, or otherwise. If they were academics at all, or at least academics with integrity, they would also know that most professors are not at all diligent or vigilant about getting to know their students or grading them fairly or consistently as people like to imagine, or they would admit that they know this. Coming onto someone’s blog and attempting to invalidate her thoughts and feelings is self-aggrandizing, condescending, presumptuous as hell. Since so many of you commenters were willing to do it, though, it actually shouldn’t be difficult for you to believe that Tiffany’s professor did it. You’re of the professor’s same suppressive ilk.
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You are aware of the difference between a blog post and a scientific article, right?
I mean, I’m aware of the difference and my highest level of education is my certificate of completion from the Commercial Driver Training Institute at Arkansas State University, Newport.
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Your comments represented an antiquated understanding of language norms and a misunderstanding of genre. Language use evolves, standards and customs change over time as different voices and topics are discussed via writing. I think this is, at core, the author’s point, which you seem to have missed. Both you and her instructor failed to read generously. I wonder why?
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Tiffany, do not listen to the voices (inside your head and out) that say you are not enough. You are enough and you do belong – you belong to the tribe of those who are intelligent, capable and kind, who know where we come from and where we are headed, who will change the world.
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He’s not saying that the word isn’t yours to use, he’s is saying “This is not the word you should have used”. He’s correcting your grammar not being racist. This is what happens when you perceive yourself as a victim, everything becomes an attack on your person.
Stop claiming racism when YOU’RE the one twisting what he’s saying so you can stuff your wallet with more victim bucks.
Grow the hell up and learn how to write a formal paper.
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Siggs = You racist scum do love to display your ignorance like a badge of honor, don’t you? Obviously your are too uneducated to understand this, but her grammar is absolutely perfect and beyond reproach.
I got my post graduate degree in teaching English from UC Irvine. Where did you get yours?
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You have a degree? It’s “you’re too uneducated”, by the way. And calling names doesn’t indication either.
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Better give back that degree because you do not apply the word correctly. Your comment had me in a titter. I am addressing the word, racist! Siggs does have valid points. People that do not resort to casting aspersions as you have by using trigger words to change the narrative to fit their thinking. Her use of using 10th grade words with her grammar is so colloquial. Your attitude is one from being cossetted in school in a PC environment!
Siggs was assiduous with his remarks unlike you! Stop being such a pillock!
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There is no response that could be made to someone like you that would do aay good. Rest assured, your ignorance shall henceforth be ignored.
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The grammar in her paper was perfectly adequate, and that is not at all what the professor said. Get over yourself.
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You should learn how to read before commenting interpretations.
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@Siggs,
“Hence” should technically not be used at the beginning of a sentence… BUT, assuming this is the reason the word was circled – still, the comment does not make sense. The professor failed to point that out. Ironic.
What I find disturbing about your comment, Siggs, is that you jumped at the opportunity to wag your finger… but you most likely scanned over the post and did not read this portion:
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.”
So… not only did figurative spittle fly from your judgmental mouth as you blindly bashed away your response at your keyboard, confirming everything the writer of this article is trying to come to terms with – but you are also accusing the writer of being a liar.
You, my dear Siggsie, by your very comment here, are shouting from the rooftops your lack of understanding… or at the very least admitting that you didn’t read the article properly. If you did in fact read the article properly, that only serves to highlight what the writer is expressing here. You and the professor in question are 2 peas in a pod.
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I don’t know if you read the entire post, or just looked at the picture and decided to comment, but that alone was not the problem,and context is important. He wrote that on her paper, and told her straight up that she could not have written that paper and needed to “cite where she copied and pasted it from” so no he was not just telling her she used the word wrong. He was assuming without any actual evidence that she did not have the ability to write what she wrote and must have plagiarized it. I’d call that discrimination.
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Grammar correction does not require the use of “your”. This is not “your word” is a lot different than choose another word.
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You are an amazing young woman, Ms. Tiffany Martinez! You are the author of your own narrative and I applaud you!
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Been there, felt that a thousand times over. This reminds me of a line I just made not of last night while watching “To Sir With Love II”, in reference to the lower income, minority students in Sir’s class. To his non believing principal, he said, “They don’t look bright and shiny like winners, so you settle for letting them lose.”
In this (your) case, you give a perfect example of how, in this society, those in charge of often the REASON so many students of color “lose”. Thank you for believing in, and standing up for yourself, and for (publicly) telling your story. You’ve exposed a truth that hasn’t seen enough light.
Never give up.
Renate Sanders
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I apologize for those typos. Hope you got the gist. 🙂
Renate Sanders
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Unfortunately, in academic institutions there are plenty of teachers who are not actually there to teach. They are just careerists, with delusions of academic grandeur, interested in making a big name for themselves, and the pay check. Academic language and a formal prose style is acquired through reading academic books and journals. Each field of study has it’s own technical language, which is necessary to understand technical concepts. So we end up thinking in this technical language, as well as writing in a formal style to convey our understanding. Acquiring the academic jargon is so natural, that many academic courses set a piece of coursework where the student has to re-write the findings of an academic paper “in Layman’s terms”, because it is important that academics are able to communicate complex research to the general public. This professor is making unfounded, unjust assumptions, which is the antithesis of academic rigour. She is trying to make you ‘dumb down’ your academic prowess to suit her own risible prejudices. I sincerely hope that she will be held to account for her horrendous actions, and I hope that you will not be disheartened and discouraged from pursuing your academic goals.
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Is it adversity when your writing is mediocre to begin with? You used an exclamation mark in a formal piece of writing (literature reviews are formal), you started a sentence with a conjunction, you use the same prepositional phrase twice in the span of a small screenshot. Things like word choice and sentence structure are both incredibly important to producing quality academic work. I would shudder to think any of the students I tutored turned in work of that caliber when it comes to a formal piece of writing.
Have you considered meeting with a writing tutor to help improve your work?
Also, why is it late October and you’re implying your professor in a senior level course is unfamiliar with your writing? Many professors, when they see diction that’s out of place, see that as a red flag for plagiarism. I would imagine this is NOT the first writing assignment you’ve had this semester. Perhaps the issue, rather than being of ethnicity or socioeconomic status, is actually a function of a drastic departure of your previous word choice in assignments?
Then we get to other inconsistencies — your school is predominantly female and actually has a 26% minority attendance rate, 22% of your students are international, and the undergraduate student body is under 6000 people. While you’re still a minority, that’s a much more diverse population than a LOT of schools can boast. I find it hard to believe that an upper-level sociology professor has just been hanging out as a low key racist this whole time.
You’re telling me that as a small, private school your professor in a SENIOR LEVEL COURSE in your major is THAT unfamiliar with your work? Is that really the narrative you want to go with? That in a school with a sizable minority population, a large international student body, and a female majority, you’re being targeted unfairly? Are you SURE that’s the narrative you want to go?
There’s a whole lot of inconsistencies here and I have some very serious questions about them.
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Well done.
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I used to go to that school, and to be fair, a lot of the teachers there are really dumb. And most students there can’t write? I blame the MA school system. It’s supposed to be one of the worst in the country (pre-college).
By the way, most of the international students are from West Africa and speak English as a second language. There are hardly any Asian/ Hispanic/ Black students who were born here and speak English as their first language. My friend’s roomate had never seen an Asian person before college.
p.s. it’s a for-profit college
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If you re-read your stats, you’ll see that 4% are a minority and not international. It’s a for-profit college, and international students bring more $. (they pay almost 30% more in tuition). So there are actually very few diverse Americans. And being Hispanic and American is very different from actually coming from a South American country.
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As A Christian It Was Wrong To Shame The Professor…….Most Likely By Now He Has Lost His Job In Politically Correct America……….Assuming He Has Five Children To Feed……A Sober Christian Would Have Forgiven Him……..Destroying One Race To Promote Another Is Ungodly……….As Women Get Caught Up In Feminism They Should Not Forget God & That He Does Not Change…….everyone In the world Has Had A teacher
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Uh oh…”as a “Christian”…First all, how do you know any of the people in this scenario are Christian?…Second, why is it more “wrong” for the students to shame the teacher than the reverse?…The professor had more power and authority than the student, and therefore bears the most responsibility in this situation.
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Jesus… I hate to inagine what else you justify with your fictional belief system.
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I’m a Christian, and? As a “Christian” you should know that what you said was both irrelevant to the topic and sexist. If s/he lost their job (you’re assuming it was a man), then it wasn’t because of her, it may have just been the straw on the proverbial camel’s back. Now, you read entirely too much into what she wrote, while reading none of it at all. You assume she’s a feminist while assuming that “god” is relevant to her at all.
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Thank you dear Tiffany for putting words to my own struggle! I so agree and identify with your words! One love. Maria.
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Lovely piece reminding everyone of Covey’s (1989) advice, ‘first ask questions, then be understood’ and basic manners, give feedback in private. I would (in private and emotion) point out the error of ‘assuming without evidence’ to the lecturer and ask the he reflect on the implication this had on you and potentially on other similar students. If you do not get a positive response then it should go back on the module feedback, however first course of action is to be brave and rationally respond. Just my tuppence worth of course.
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This is a disgrace. That teacher doesn’t deserve the name professor. It is disheartening, but that makes your perseverance all the more vital. The voices that have shaped culture and the public consciousness are outmoded and inadequate for the world we live in as well as the one that is being created around us. We need new voices, new teachers. Teachers like you. History is on your side and so is everyone who has read this I am guessing.
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Would that it were that this would be the last time you will ever experience this proverbial “slap in the face,” Dear One. As a former English major and currently practicing attorney, I can advise that the road ahead is a bumpy one. But, you are doing exactly what you should – shining a bright light on ignorance wherever you encounter it. As African-Americans, we’ve all been “called out” in public for having stepped outside of the lines others have drawn for us, but I want you to continue to do so as often as you can. We are LIMITLESS. YOU are UNSTOPPABLE. So, do YOU!
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Shows your professor is not only biased but not very intelligent either! Brilliant article. Don’t give up!
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Professor is a piece of shit.
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I am furious on your behalf. In response to navasolnature I am a bit perplexed. Here in the UK we have software that the prof can run in order to spot if the paper has been plagiarized. Is this software not available in the states?
The professor is a racist.
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Dear Tiffany, it angers and saddens me that students of color (and economically disadvantaged whites) still face such stupidity in the academy. When I attended an elite Catholic high school in Oakland in the mid-1960s one of my teachers ordered me to erase what I’d written on a vocational exam and “write something sensible.” I’d written that I planned to attend Bennington College and become a dance critic. In response to her command, I broke my Number 2 pencil in half, calmly placed the pieces at the top of my desk and folded my hands. Four years later I got my B.A. from Bennington, then went on to become an editor at Ms. Magazine, then left to write art criticism for the Village Voice and Art in America. Eventually, I earned an M.A. and a Ph.D. in art history from Yale. Having taught at a number of prestigious universities where I was always the only African-American member of the art history faculty and often one of the few in the humanities, I agree with you: “Academia needs work.” But I would add that that work IS–slowly and in the face of great resistance–taking place. I saw tremendous progress (though not nearly enough) occur during the 1983-2006 period in which I taught. It’s the wise and stubborn persistence of people like you that will make sure it continues.
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Tiffany, ultimately your intelligence, courage and determination will be all the validation you need as when you achieve the bright future you are obviously going to attain you will be an inspiration to all those who, for whatever reason, have had to overcome discrimination and prejudice. I don’t mean to sound overdramatic when I say the world needs bright lights like yours to highlight the hidden prejudice that lurks is the shadows…once it’s seen it can be overcome. I wish that didn’t mean that things should be so difficult for you but you are obviously incredibly strong to have come this far. Keep going,stay strong and believe that the destination will be worth the journey 🙂
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It seems quite cruel to do this publicly and should have been discussed with you first if this was what the guy thought. Unfortunately I think there has been a lot of plagiarism and cut and pasting that might have soured your prof’s mind.Maybe it was just that but I am sorry if it also has race and class undertones. In the UK cut and paste plagiarism has led to the undermining of coursework and real writing development. Most English exams are now exam only. That doesn’t teach and make good writers. Your blog is so well written and I hope you can challenge this with your writing. You’ve made a good start!
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I am just curious, not to start a gender war, was the professor male or female ?
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Thank you for this! Hopefully, everyone will get the message. You can be literate, no matter what age, race, color, and family background.
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Hello, I too face adversity and would like to send my condolences and wish you luck.
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