On the Heels of Arizona's Ethnic Studies Crack-down we Have a Downside to Racial Awareness

This is quite an interesting study and that it comes out of Cal Berkley makes even more important.

Chatman attributes the low climate scores in area and ethnic studies precisely to the instruction students receive in those classes. "Students in area and ethnic studies should have learned to recognize prejudicial communication and should be more sensitive to communication that might be prejudicial," he writes. Whereas a math student might hear a remark and think nothing of it, an African American Studies student might discern prejudice and stereotyping. Does this mean that students in area and ethnic studies are more perceptive and accurate in their assessment of campus climate, or have they acquired in their classes a "warped lens" (Chatman's term) that sees social life in overdone racial categories? Chatman even draws a logical possibility that might appall area and ethnic studies instruction, that is, that the climate in those fields is a lot worse than it is in engineering classes and labs. One wonders how area and ethnic studies professors would feel if they were ordered to undergo diversity sensitivity sessions themselves to try to straighten out their problems.

I wonder if these ethnic studies programs deserve to have greater scrutiny shown toward them? I mean if the climate is so harsh there then maybe there should be a change. I know most of the social sciences at the University level is of dubious worth in the real world. I would be willing to bet that a Hispanic kid with an engineering degree will probably make 100x more than one with a Latino Studies degree. There is a good chance that he will be much more successful as a member of society as well.