Who-Stole-Feminism.-How-Women-Have-Betrayed-Women

THE FEMINIST CLASSROOM 95I. . . think you shouldn't voice your "feminist" views because wedon't need to know that—It's something that should be left outsideclass.I found it very offensive that all of our readings focused on feminism.Feminism is an important issue in society—but a very controversialone. It needs to be confronted on a personal basis, not in the classroom.I didn't appreciate feminist comments on papers or expressedabout work. This is not the only instructor—others in the EnglishDept. have difficulties leaving personal opinions out of their comments.Characteristically, Ms. Bauer and her colleagues profess not to be disconcertedby the negative evaluations. Instead they take them to showthat renewed efforts are needed. As Ms. Bauer sees it, the question remains"How do we move ourselves out of this political impasse andresistance in order to get our students to identify with the political agendaof feminism?" 16She regards her teaching as "a kind of counter-indoctrination."The need for "counter-indoctrination" was made clear to herwhen she saw the following negative evaluation of herself from a studentwho had taken one of her first-year composition courses: "[The teacher]consistently channels class discussions around feminism and does notspend time discussing the comments that oppose her beliefs. In fact, sheusually twists them around to support her beliefs." 17In dealing with this kind of resistance, the feminist pedagogue tendsto read student criticism as the expression of unacknowledged but deepseatedprejudice or fear. "Resistance" is "only to be expected." After all,students have been thoroughly "socialized" to their gender roles and classloyalties; only a painful process of reeducation can free them from thoseroles and loyalties. Their very resistance is dramatic evidence of theircondition. Criticism may cause her to modify her tactics; it can nevercause her to doubt her cause.The gender feminist will usually acknowledge that her aims are indeedpolitical and that she is seeking to persuade her students to become activein the cause. She justifies turning her classroom into a base in the struggleagainst patriarchy by arguing that all teaching is basically political, thatall teachers indoctrinate their students, though often without being awarethat they are doing so. As for the pedagogical ideal of disinterested schol-