‘Students say professor lacks background to teach Asian and Asian-American studies course’ — this student says they lack grounds to complain.

An article published Tuesday claimed a ‘professor in the College of Arts and Sciences is facing criticism from some campus groups that believe she is not qualified to teach a class for the Asian and Asian American Studies minor.’ Though it voiced the concerns of some students, the article was inflammatory and frankly insulting to professor Susan Edmunds.

First of all, after reading the entire article, the opening statement seems completely erroneous. From what was reported, the students do not have a problem with Edmunds; the problem is with the English Department’s decision to assign an Asian and Asian-American studies course to a non-Asian-American professor, despite the fact that she has studied and is currently teaching Asian-American literature.

That complaint is their prerogative. However, to claim she cannot ‘relate to the experiences of Asian-Americans’ is tantamount to claiming that only an identity group can relate to the experiences of that group. Should men be barred from teaching women’s studies courses? As a Caucasian-American, can I not appreciate or understand an African-American studies course?

I’m not sure if the complainants are aware of the demographics of our university, but they’d be hard pressed to create an AAA minor taught only by Asian or Asian-American professors. And even if they could, why should they? Maureen Schwarz is involved in the Native American studies minor, but to my knowledge, she is not Native American. Yet she somehow still teaches courses in Native American studies with interest and competence.

It is significant that these complaining students never actually stated that their problem with the situation was that Edmunds is not Asian-American; framing the problem in this clear way reveals the underlying discrimination and ridiculousness of the claim. Even if students do think this, there is no reason for any group of students to take their frustrations out on a professor. You can think whatever you want about Edmunds — I happen to think she’s a wonderful woman and an excellent professor. But whatever your opinion, with a doctorate from Yale University, she’s definitely more qualified to teach these classes than any of the dissenters who are claiming her incompetence.

Alex Marsters

Junior English education and English and textual studies major

Published on April 20, 2011 at 12:00 pm