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A professor for a sociology course at Binghamton University used her syllabus to tell students that priority is given to “non-white folks” in picking students to call on for classroom discussions.
The syllabus was for a course titled “Social Change – Introduction to Sociology,” which is being taught this spring by professor Ana Maria Candela.
A copy of the syllabus states that the professor practices “progressive stacking” during classroom discussions, adding that “non-white folks” are given priority for being called on.
“This means that we try to give priority to non-white folks, to women, and to shy and quiet people who rarely raise their hands,” the syllabus read.
Ana Maria Candela
(Binghamton University)
The syllabus adds, “It also means that if you are white, male, or someone privileged by the racial and gender structures of our society to have your voice easily voiced and heard, we will often ask you to hold off on your questions or comments to give others priority and will come back to you a bit later or at another time.”
In explaining the policy, Candela wrote in the syllabus that it is meant to help privileged individuals “hold space” for others who are “less comfortable speaking first.”
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“Our experience with this practice is that within little time, those who feel most privileged to speak begin to take the initiative to hold space for others who feel less comfortable speaking first, while those who tend to be more silenced in our society grow more comfortable speaking. As you can imagine, it has tremendous benefits for our society as a whole when we learn to hold space and listen to others whose voices are typically disregarded and silenced,” the syllabus states.
Campus Reform was first to report the story.
A Binghamton University spokesperson told Fox News Digital that the professor’s syllabus violates the faculty staff handbook and said that the syllabus has been updated, with the “progressive stacking” section removed.
“The Faculty Staff Handbook outlines principles of effective teaching, which include valuing and encouraging student feedback, encouraging appropriate faculty-student interaction, and respecting the diverse talents and learning styles of students. The syllabus statement you have brought to our attention clearly violates those principles. The faculty member has updated their syllabus, removing the section in question, and is now in compliance with the Faculty Staff Handbook,” the spokesperson said.
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The spokesperson also said that faculty at the university attempt to engage “all” students in discussions.
“Binghamton University faculty seek to engage all students in their classes in active participation, including those who are shy or lack self-confidence,” the spokesperson said.
