"Trigger warnings" for college classes?

[Kathryn]

A friend who is a retired grad school professor posted this article: http://mobile.nytimes.com/2014/05/18/us/warning-the-literary-canon-could-make-students-squirm.html?smid=fb-share&_r=0&referrer=

 

She commented that college students should be adults and not pampered children and if they can't handle squirming in their seats, how will they handle the real world.

 

Thoughts?

[Liz CA]

An ever on-going debate: Is everything put on paper worth reading - and who decides what is worthy or not?

 

Perhaps choices will be given between two literary works so the student can abandon one work in favor of another.

I had to read some stuff in literature class that I considered vile. I survived it but did not particularly enjoy it. I am not in favor of it during High School years, however college is usually entered into as an adult, albeit young adult for some.

 

This trend to make everyone comfortable and consider everyone's background, religious convictions, etc. may lead to sharply revised curriculum for better or worse.

[bettyandbob]

I don't see a professor could put together any literature course. History, Art History, Psych and other course would be problematic.

 

I think a student who has issues should look up books when the syllabus is posted. Most books have criticisms and reviews that would tell a potential reader if the work falls into a problem area for that student. At that point the student can ask for accommodation or be able to withdraw and add a different course. The responsibility should be on the student to find out and decide if something is problematic. There should be no penalty to do add/drop if needed.

 

In the case of a one time class exercise or movie the student should be able to walk out without penalty. This will require the student scheduling a time to meet with the teacher and get notes on the main point of the exercise.

 

I do not think it should be on professors to figure out what material may or may not lead to stress in individual adults.

[Guest submarines]

All those "trigger warnings" imply that the majority of students have a PTSD. I think it is ridiculous and encourages the idea that every little (or big) discomfort is a mental illness and needs special accommodation.

[FaithManor]

I have taught community college classes before and I'll be honest. If I had to consider all of the possible triggers there could potentially be, nothing would be taught. It's not possible to accomodate it all and attempting to do so would water down the curriculum enough to make it unworthy to be called college level material. I would not be able to hold a classroom discussion because there would be no way to control the content of all comments made.

 

I would however most certainly make an accomodation for a student who approached me respectfully in private.

[Liz CA]

All those "trigger warnings" imply that the majority of students have a PTSD. I think it is ridiculous and encourages the idea that every little (or big) discomfort is a mental illness and needs special accommodation.

 

Oh, I think I missed that connection in the original post. I can see why someone who had a horrible experience would not want to read about it or see it again in a movie - but there are other choices. One does not have to always go for the most shocking material in order to discuss a topic.

[In The Great White North]

 

 

I really have to wonder why the film depicting rape was shown at all. Was it overall the best film choice and the teacher ignored that scene?

Me too. I noticed they didn't say what class it was for.

 

They would go a long way toward solving this problem by selecting other books.  There is a great deal of difference between a book that mentions rape (To Kill a Mockingbird) and a book that goes into gross detail  (Nineteen MInutes).  And since surveys say that 25% of girls at college have been sexually assaulted, a significant portion of the class has the potential to react to it.  (http://www.oneinfourusa.org/statistics.php)  They might also want to consider if normalizing it in English class discussions doesn't contribute to the problem (of sexual assault on campus).

 

BTW, my teachers and professors (through a Master's) managed to not assign anything more graphic than To Kill a Mockingbird.  And rape was never discussed in the classroom. There are other choices.

[LucyStoner]

I was in a college class when a movie was shown containing a child rape. I wasn't prepared but as soon as I realized what it was, I walked out and left school for the day. I watched the movie at home later. I do have PTSD from being a survivor of childhood rape. I don't have a problem with the movie being shown. I also don't see the issue with letting people know about such content in advance. There were 100 people in that class, nearly 2/3 of them women. Odds are unfortunately high that I wasn't the only rape survivor in that room.

[Kathryn]

I have taught community college classes before and I'll be honest. If I had to consider all of the possible triggers there could potentially be, nothing would be taught. It's not possible to accomodate it all and attempting to do so would water down the curriculum enough to make it unworthy to be called college level material. I would not be able to hold a classroom discussion because there would be no way to control the content of all comments made.

 

I would however most certainly make an accomodation for a student who approached me respectfully in private.

This is my first reaction as well. I don't know how one could go about anticipating every possible trigger, not only in assigned reading/viewing, but in resulting discussions.

[In The Great White North]

 

 

I was in a college class when a movie was shown containing a child rape. 

What class was this for?

[Walking-Iris]

I think college kids shouldn't be coddled. 

 

I used to be involved with  Amnesty International Student Chapter on my campus, and we used to show some pretty graphic pictures and films in the student center to get people's attention about genital mutilation.

 

if we had to consider the level of uncomfortableness of everyone on a campus, in a class, and so on and edit so to protect their feelings----nothing would get talked about!!!!

No one would be aware. No one would be mobilized to change anything that is wrong with this planet.

 

I'm saying this as a rape victim, which is something I don't talk about, except to my nearest and dearest, so that's all the info I'll provide here. And i would not in a million years expect someone to censor or edit themselves to protect me from something triggering.

 

I've experienced plenty of situations that put me right back there, but you know what...i dealt with the feelings. It's an opportunity to grow.

 

I for one do not like this idea of avoiding "triggers" in various different topics. Someone has to address the problems, someone has to be honest, maybe even brutally so. 

 

This hush hush in an attempt to spare people thinking about it again can only do more harm over time than good.

 

 

 

 

[OnTheBrink]

Great. Let's pander to and create more entitled, whiney crybabies. So someone's uncomfortable. Get over it. Life is uncomfortable. I've taken many a lit course and had the discussion in the class get uncomfortable for my personal beliefs. How arrogant would I have to be to insist the prof change her lesson plans for my comfort? I managed to sit through literature, philosophy and science courses that were diametrically opposed to my world view and yet, here I am, perfectly ok, despite being uncomfortable. I survived; they will, too. Holy cow, what have we created with this generation of jelly fish?

 

And, I am not talking about people who truly have PTSD or some other real issue. I would think, in those situations, the student or parents would have approached the advisor to find out the best course of study for that student or have some sort of alternative reading or course that would meet the requirements and yet serve the student's educational needs. I also think those situations would be less common and accommodations could be made for a student with a serious issue. A real issue, not just an "Oh, that's not sugar-coated and pretty for me; I don't like it!" issue. 

 

 

 

[LucyStoner]

What class was this for?

It was an intergrated studies class of some sort. Writing, political science and sociology maybe? It satisfied several general education requirements for my degree (I was an econ and math major). The movie was about an Indian low caste female politician and early in the movie, she is married off at like 10-11. Her husband abuses her and sexually assaults her.

[mommymilkies]

I was going to say the whole idea was ridiculous.  But then I read this snippet:  

 

"Bailey Loverin, a sophomore at Santa Barbara, said the idea for campuswide trigger warnings came to her in February after a professor showed a graphic film depicting rape. She said that she herself had been a victim of sexual abuse, and that although she had not felt threatened by the film, she had approached the professor to suggest that students should have been warned.

Ms. Loverin draws a distinction between alerting students to material that might truly tap into memories of trauma — such as war and torture, since many students at Santa Barbara are veterans — and slapping warning labels on famous literary works, as other advocates of trigger warnings have proposed."

 

Based on this, I actually agree some warnings should be given.  If you teach a large population of people who are survivors of war or atrocities, such as in Rwanda or any number of other places, then YES there should be some warning given.  It won't hurt them to let students know there will be difficult material.

 

On the other hand, I did take classes on International Policy where we discussed in detail genocide and other really triggering news stories.  That is a LOT different than showing videos of rape.  I can see scenes like that in classes for people who will be working with sexual abuse survivors or the psychological side of psychopaths, for example.  But does a lit class need videos of child rape?  I can't see why it would.  I certainly have taken a ton of classes and never had anything that triggering come up.  If the teacher wants to use that material, common courtesy should call for them to at least tell the students ahead of time what will be going on.  That's not coddling.  Every college course has a syllabus-the more detailed, the better for the professor and student's purposes.  How much harder would it be to give that info?  I don't consider giving rape victims a heads up that there will be unnecessary rape videos as coddling.  

 

I was in a college class when a movie was shown containing a child rape. I wasn't prepared but as soon as I realized what it was, I walked out and left school for the day. I watched the movie at home later. I do have PTSD from being a survivor of childhood rape. I don't have a problem with the movie being shown. I also don't see the issue with letting people know about such content in advance. There were 100 people in that class, nearly 2/3 of them women. Odds are unfortunately high that I wasn't the only rape survivor in that room.

I agree.

 

Edited: my apologies, I was unclear in centering around one subject to the exclusion of a group.

[FaithManor]

The problem is that PTSD can be triggered by a huge array of things not just discussions or readings on a specific topic. Music...a particular piece or even just a style, a piece of artwork, locations and descriptions of a similar location or surroundings, sounds, ..... I've known more than one person who suffered from PTSD and they all had some unique triggers. It's just not possible to eliminate risk.

 

But, I do think professors should exercise sense when choosing graphic visual material for their classes. Ideally, the overview of the curriculum in the syllabus would give a description of violent mterial so students can prepare or pursue accomodations.

[mommymilkies]

Great. Let's pander to and create more entitled, whiney crybabies. So someone's uncomfortable. Get over it. Life is uncomfortable. I've taken many a lit course and had the discussion in the class get uncomfortable for my personal beliefs. How arrogant would I have to be to insist the prof change her lesson plans for my comfort? I managed to sit through literature, philosophy and science courses that were diametrically opposed to my world view and yet, here I am, perfectly ok, despite being uncomfortable. I survived; they will, too. Holy cow, what have we created with this generation of jelly fish?

 

Not changing the course, but given a heads up.  If you read the article, you'd see that there are many war and torture survivors.  Giving a heads up about videos and materials that are graphically triggering isn't making "entitled, whiney crybabies."  It's being sensitive.  That's not about their "personal beliefs" it's about surviving trauma and PTSD and then having something unnecessarily triggering shoved in your face, like LucyStoner described.  I have worked hospice, including post-mortem.  I have worked trauma (medical).  I was trained on phone lines for sexual abuse survivors and suicide calls.  But that was by choice.  If someone forced me into that without my prior knowledge, I would possibly need committed because of some of my past trauma.  That doesn't make me a whiney crybaby.  That's life. 

[OnTheBrink]

Not changing the course, but given a heads up.  If you read the article, you'd see that there are many war and torture survivors.  Giving a heads up about videos and materials that are graphically triggering isn't making "entitled, whiney crybabies."  It's being sensitive.  That's not about their "personal beliefs" it's about surviving trauma and PTSD and then having something unnecessarily triggering shoved in your face, like LucyStoner described.  I have worked hospice, including post-mortem.  I have worked trauma (medical).  I was trained on phone lines for sexual abuse survivors and suicide calls.  But that was by choice.  If someone forced me into that without my prior knowledge, I would possibly need committed because of some of my past trauma.  That doesn't make me a whiney crybaby.  That's life. 

 

 

"And, I am not talking about people who truly have PTSD or some other real issue. I would think, in those situations, the student or parents would have approached the advisor to find out the best course of study for that student or have some sort of alternative reading or course that would meet the requirements and yet serve the student's educational needs. I also think those situations would be less common and accommodations could be made for a student with a serious issue. A real issue, not just an "Oh, that's not sugar-coated and pretty for me; I don't like it!" issue. "

[mommymilkies]

"And, I am not talking about people who truly have PTSD or some other real issue. I would think, in those situations, the student or parents would have approached the advisor to find out the best course of study for that student or have some sort of alternative reading or course that would meet the requirements and yet serve the student's educational needs. I also think those situations would be less common and accommodations could be made for a student with a serious issue. A real issue, not just an "Oh, that's not sugar-coated and pretty for me; I don't like it!" issue. "

But where is the line drawn?  Do you need a doctor's note with an official PTSD diagnosis and then go to each professor and discuss your issues in detail to see where they will be conflicting?  Something like 25% or more than men and women are rape survivors.  How hard would it be to put a little note on the syllabus: "Trigger warning-we will use a graphic video depicting rape."

[Crimson Wife]

One of the Toni Morrison novels I had to read (can't remember which one) had a pretty explicit rape scene. I'm not a survivor but I would've preferred to have been warned and given the option to read an alternative. It may have been literature, but there are so many other literary works out there that don't have the same kind of problematic content. Everyone knows that life can get ugly- students don't need to get beaten over the head with that fact in the classroom.

[Crimson Wife]

Well someone EXTREMELY sensitive to stuff like rape probably should major in electrical engineering.  Don't go and major in sociology.  KWIM?  You won't avoid those topics as a sociology major.

 

STEM majors still have to fulfill university general ed requirements, and at most schools, that will involve taking literature courses. I studied science but didn't have any choice about taking a year-long "Great Works" sequence.

[mommymilkies]

STEM majors still have to fulfill university general ed requirements, and at most schools, that will involve taking literature courses. I studied science but didn't have any choice about taking a year-long "Great Works" sequence.

Yup.  Every college I've been to requires a certain number of psychology/sociology classes, as well as at least a year of literature related courses.  There's no getting around that one.  And I *wasn't* an engineering major and took those classes and still did not face those triggering situations like the rape movie noted.  I mean, come on.  They're not asking for all the classes to be remade (if they did-that would be ridiculous), but just a little warning about obviously triggering stuff.

[Ameena]

I can see both sides honestly. Yes, we shouldn't coddle college students - doing so prevents adult discourse & learning. But a large group of college students may be victims of PTSD in some form, or dealing with personal issues that could be triggered easily. For instance I had a friend in college who was a recovering bulimic. She was triggered by a film watched in a nutrition class that dealt with the topic in a normal manner - but it was too much for HER. Another friends at the time was a semi-recovering self-harmer {cutting}, and had issues come up when the topic came up in Psych classes. Some times it doesn't have to be graphic - just the mere mention of it can set someone back.

 

What I don't like is when a professor springs it on you with no warning. I had this happen in a Religon, Values & Ethics class when I was pregnant with dd. We were studying various genocides, and the film was not announced ahead of time, nor was it in the syllabus. We had to watch a film about the genocide in Albania I think, that graphically showed people being bused to mass graves & shot then tossed in, and it was hugely triggering to me even though I never expected it to be. I walked out - and took the F for the assignment because the professor refused to give an alternate assignment. I had nightmares for weeks afterwards. Even now, almost 8 years later I still remember it in detail.

 

[FaithManor]

STEM majors still have to fulfill university general ed requirements, and at most schools, that will involve taking literature courses. I studied science but didn't have any choice about taking a year-long "Great Works" sequence.

My gen ed lit class had some eye opening stuff as well as my gen ed psyche class which was a requirement for all non psyche majors.

 

Gen ed requirements really can't be avoided.

[mommymilkies]

But there are often many ways to do this. 

 

I suppose if you go to a smaller school there are fewer options.  Where I went they had a zillion different courses.

 

I took a lit class.  It was pretty lame.  I don't think we read a full book.  We had a compilation of short stories and poems.

And that's what most are.  That's why I think it's not a big deal to put a warning on your syllabi if you feel the need to include obviously triggering things in your material-that's just simply not normal for most classes.  It's kind of assumed if you're taking classes on convicts, genocide, or sexual abuse, but is it really adding to anything in a lit course?  If you think it is, be nice and put up a warning.  It'll take all of 5 seconds. 

[Big Buckin' Longhorn]

I'm a student right now.

 

In a few classes that use media (power points, movies, NPR audio excerpts) professors will announce "trigger warnings" regarding graphic violence, sexual assault/rape, or extreme hate speech. I have never witnessed "trigger warnings" for literature/reading material. Also if you choose to leave/turn away during any "triggering" material, you are responsible for finding a way to digest that material in a palatable way for yourself, because everything that happens in class is fair game for exams.

 

Now I did take an abnormal psychology class that relied heavily on video clips of therapy sessions with mentally ill people as well as controversial therapy practices such as rebirthing, shock treatments, and actual labotomies. A lot of it was HIGHLY disturbing and even gave me nightmares, but my professor didn't issue one single "trigger warning." I guess it is all up to each Professor's discretion, but this entire course, which covered two semesters, was one big "trigger." I don't know how anyone who couldn't handle uncomfortable subject matter would have lasted one week in that class.

[mommymilkies]

Since classes are announced in advance I think it would be fairly easy to send a quick e-mail to the prof and ask about it.  I've asked profs about course content.  They have always promptly answered. 

 

I mean what the heck, I'm a paying customer.  I don't see why they can't give me info if I ask.

 

I was computer phobic when I entered college.  I had no clue how to use a computer.  So I dropped any course (in the beginning) that required me to use the computer.  (Hah, now look at me.)  I just didn't want to have to fight with the computer AND complete the course content.  So I often asked ahead.

 

I signed up for a course titled "Intro to Computers".  It was described as being for the absolute beginner.  Great.  I needed that.  So I went there and the prof said all this intro stuff is so boring so lets dabble in programming.  EHHHH...I dropped out.  I didn't know how to turn on a computer let alone have any clue about programming.

One problem is that some colleges that rely on adjuncts for the gen ed classes do not know the teacher that far in advance (I've had them decide a couple of days into class!!!), so getting the info before is difficult.  If gen ed classes were more standardized, this wouldn't be an issue.  Not all places do that and many allow a certain freedom in media/book selection for these courses.  That's not a problem everywhere, mind you.  But then again, I've never had overtly triggering content brought up in gen ed classes.  If you're going into social work, it should be your and your counselor's responsibility to let you know there will be disturbing material in some classes. 

[Dory]

But where is the line drawn?  Do you need a doctor's note with an official PTSD diagnosis and then go to each professor and discuss your issues in detail to see where they will be conflicting?  Something like 25% or more than men and women are rape survivors.  How hard would it be to put a little note on the syllabus: "Trigger warning-we will use a graphic video depicting rape."

 

I agree.

 

I do have PTSD and I don't think that college level kids should be babied with subjects like this. I wouldn't expect to read any different books, or to avoid the hard subjects just because of my past, but a warning would allow me to handle it better. I wouldn't even need to know details, just a 'trigger warning' of any sort, would help people like me out. Explicit rape scenes on movies shown in class with no warning would not be cool. I have been through years of therapy by this point, and I would still be a wreck for ages afterwards if there was no warning in advance.

 

If I'm taking college literature courses, I would assume that I would run across some explicit stuff a few times, but knowing when it's about to hit makes a HUGE difference, and all it would take would be a few seconds of the professors time.

[Dmmetler]

That's one reason why I worry a little when I hear a parent say "Oh, college is the same as high school, so I'm going to have her take her lower division classes at the local CC and count them for high school, too". Because not all college classes are created equal. I took some that had no content that wouldn't be appropriate for most 10 yr olds. I also took some in which I'd be more worried about the student who WASN'T troubled by the content, because they included some things that were nightmare fuel, pure and simple. 20th century music literature springs to mind.

 

 

[Dory]

I'm a student right now.

 

In a few classes that use media (power points, movies, NPR audio excerpts) professors will announce "trigger warnings" regarding graphic violence, sexual assault/rape, or extreme hate speech. I have never witnessed "trigger warnings" for literature/reading material. Also if you choose to leave/turn away during any "triggering" material, you are responsible for finding a way to digest that material in a palatable way for yourself, because everything that happens in class is fair game for exams.

 

Now I did take an abnormal psychology class that relied heavily on video clips of therapy sessions with mentally ill people as well as controversial therapy practices such as rebirthing, shock treatments, and actual labotomies. A lot of it was HIGHLY disturbing and even gave me nightmares, but my professor didn't issue one single "trigger warning." I guess it is all up to each Professor's discretion, but this entire course, which covered two semesters, was one big "trigger." I don't know how anyone who couldn't handle uncomfortable subject matter would have lasted one week in that class.

 

I will have a break down if stuff like that blindsides me, but if I had chosen, knowingly to take that course, and had known it was going to be a LOT of triggering stuff, I would be just fine. For some people it makes  HUGE difference just to know what they are expected to handle. Mentally bracing myself can mean the difference of me working through hard material just like everyone else, or me curled up in my closet not really aware of the world around me anymore.

[MiMi 4under3]

I think college kids shouldn't be coddled. 

 

   :iagree:

 

Great. Let's pander to and create more entitled, whiney crybabies. So someone's uncomfortable. Get over it. Life is uncomfortable. 

 

   :iagree:      Well said!  :lol:

[LucyStoner]

Well someone EXTREMELY sensitive to stuff like rape probably should major in electrical engineering. Don't go and major in sociology. KWIM? You won't avoid those topics as a sociology major.

A sociology or a lit major probably needs all of 1 math class and 2-3 science classes to graduate. A math or engineering major will half to take 1/3-1/2 of their classes in non-math and science courses.

[Dory]

Great. Let's pander to and create more entitled, whiney crybabies. So someone's uncomfortable. Get over it. Life is uncomfortable. I've taken many a lit course and had the discussion in the class get uncomfortable for my personal beliefs. How arrogant would I have to be to insist the prof change her lesson plans for my comfort? I managed to sit through literature, philosophy and science courses that were diametrically opposed to my world view and yet, here I am, perfectly ok, despite being uncomfortable. I survived; they will, too. Holy cow, what have we created with this generation of jelly fish?

 

And, I am not talking about people who truly have PTSD or some other real issue. I would think, in those situations, the student or parents would have approached the advisor to find out the best course of study for that student or have some sort of alternative reading or course that would meet the requirements and yet serve the student's educational needs. I also think those situations would be less common and accommodations could be made for a student with a serious issue. A real issue, not just an "Oh, that's not sugar-coated and pretty for me; I don't like it!" issue. 

 

Most people are simply asking for a trigger notice, not a change in the lesson plan. That would take 5 seconds of a profs time. I would rather have lived on drugs through the entire college experience then expose my past to someone I didn't know and I know a few other individuals that would feel the same. At least back then. Seems rather strange that it would be much better for some kids to have to further their humiliation instead of a prof taking a few seconds of their time to add a trigger warning.

[jewellsmommy]

 I don't understand why giving someone advance warning/knowledge of content should be so controversial. Sometimes just being able to go into a situation with your shields up is enough. I don't think that professors would be required to re-think their entire class. Before a movie with content that could be reasonably foreseen as disturbing just say, "hey, we are going to encounter explicit scenes of _____ next class when we watch _____." If that is a problem then that gives time for a student to go and talk to the professor. The student could plan to watch it at home, in professor's office, or some other arrangement. Maybe just the warning would be enough. The student could sit nearest the door or in the back if that would give them more comfort. Just a little extra planning that would not interfere with anyone else. We're talking about one extra sentence to be spoken by a teacher. Big deal.

 

In the same respect the teacher could announce the first week of class, "This semester we will be reading several books that contain graphic depictions of _______." Please peruse the book list ahead of time. The books that I think may be an issue for some are denoted with an asterisk.

[Word Nerd]

Where would the line be drawn to be fair to all students? How can professors know what could cause trauma for any given student?

 

 

At Oberlin College in Ohio, a draft guide was circulated that would have asked professors to put trigger warnings in their syllabuses. The guide said they should flag anything that might “disrupt a student’s learning†and “cause trauma,â€

[MiMi 4under3]

Well I'm sure there are people who rightly are wigged out because of something traumatic that happened to them.  I don't think it's right to call them cry babies.  For the average person I agree...get over it.  Not everyone has an "average" experience though.

 

Yes, that's true.  I was referring to the "average person" - all the while knowing that not everyone is average and that they are, of course, excluded from being called cry-babies...

[Paige]

I don't see why any professor needs to show a film w/ graphic violent sex. None. I had a lot of women's studies and sociology type classes including graduate classes. None of them included films like that and I don't think they were watered down because of any fears of anyone being a crybaby. It's just not needed. Professors should be able to teach without using such materials in class. Actually, I'd prefer that if I'm not in a theater or film class, that profs don't waste my time showing movies I could rent myself on my own time. 

 

My friend told me how in her nursing classes they were shown all kinds of weird porn to desensitize them to what may come up in their careers. I kind of understand that, but even then the films were optional and there was warning. 

[Dana]

Going off on a tangent here, but I often wonder why we have to rehash all these subjects in college.  Why can't we just mostly take course directly related to our major? 

 

Rhetorical question mostly....

 

Because the US doesn't have any seriously preparatory high school standardization.

If we did, we wouldn't need general ed classes in college (kind of like you don't have general ed to the same extent in grad school).

[unsinkable]

 

 

 

 

Based on this, I actually agree some warnings should be given. If you teach a large population of people who are survivors of war (and I don't mean our war with Iraq, ffs) or atrocities, such as in Rwanda or any number of other places, then YES there should be some warning given. It won't hurt them to let students know there will be difficult material.

 

 

agree.

So you don't want survivors of our war with Iraq to have what? Advanced warning of trigger issues? And to whom would this apply? Iraqi civilians? Iraqi soldiers? American soldiers? Any other countries' soldiers?

 

And why would you pick out THIS war to single out the survivors?

[Crimson Wife]

 

I suppose if you go to a smaller school there are fewer options.  Where I went they had a zillion different courses.

 

The university where I had to read the Toni Morrison book had around 8000 undergrad students so it was not a small school. There were something like 10 different tracks for the required freshman literature sequence. Students were asked their preference but the administration assigned students to one of the tracks. My DH requested the history track, and he did get his choice. I, however, requested the anthropology track but got assigned to "Great Works". AFAIK there was not a way to change one's assignment to a different track.

[Big Buckin' Longhorn]

The only concern I have with the idea of the "trigger warnings" a week or so in advance is that it would dampen the spontaneity of some classes.

 

My favorite classes are the ones where the professor has so much passion that they are actively seeking class material all the time. The syllabus is a general outline, but the twists and turns of the course are determined in a fluid manner with the professor and students participating. I have been in plenty of classes where professors bounce into class with new research/media that they've just discovered.

 

Also I've had classes where music/media/research is actively solicited from students to bring to and share in class. This info is not screened beforehand, it just gets "sprung" on us during class. Some of it is more tasteful than others.

[Big Buckin' Longhorn]

And no, I don't preview every movie my child watches before we watch. So I realize I may sound hypocritical. But if you are going to use something as a teaching aid you should know whether or not it is valuable, whether or not you just need to fast forward to the 20 min. mark, etc.

Generally the student who provides the media explains how it is relavent to the class and/or leads the class discussion.

 

There have been times where the general consensus of class is that something doesn't apply or is inappropriate (or boring) and we are allowed to express those opinions, as long as it's done in a respectable manner.

 

I guess it could be considered lazy. I like it. Plenty of my classes are soooooo dull, I prefer the spontaneous ones.

[mommymilkies]

Yeah once in awhile they didn't announce the instructor until the last minute.  That is true.  But there was always a period of time to add and drop.  The first week or 2 was all about adding and dropping.  And I took advantage of it.  I had to balance a lot of factors.

 

Again, I was a paying customer.  I'm STILL paying.

 

Exactly. 

Where would the line be drawn to be fair to all students? How can professors know what could cause trauma for any given student?

 

 

At Oberlin College in Ohio, a draft guide was circulated that would have asked professors to put trigger warnings in their syllabuses. The guide said they should flag anything that might “disrupt a student’s learning†and “cause trauma,â€

I think most people would agree with commonsensical ones, like graphic depictions of rape. 

 

So you don't want survivors of our war with Iraq to have what? Advanced warning of trigger issues? And to whom would this apply? Iraqi civilians? Iraqi soldiers? American soldiers? Any other countries' soldiers?

 

And why would you pick out THIS war to single out the survivors?

Hold on.  I think you're confused.  Are you saying that I don't want them to have warning? Go back and re-read.  I'm FOR giving trigger warnings for war/torture survivors.  Read the rest of my post.

[Jean in Newcastle]

Triggers for me are random things connected to my specific trauma.  Hot water splashed on me is one.  There is no way for anyone to know or be able to warn me of my triggers.  The generic subject, while highly unpleasant and not one I would want to pursue for an entire quarter, is not necessarily a trigger for me.  

[Walking-Iris]

But again what is considered triggering?

 

I had a hard time in my first anatomy class ages ago when I was in college because my brother had died young of myocarditis. To this day I get very squeamish and even a bit light headed just watching any kind of heart operation or graphic doc about the heart.

 

I had a very hard time in the class with the dissection, the discussion, and the images on the power point board.

 

Should I have asked the anatomy professor for a "trigger" warning that he was going to discuss the circulatory system? I honestly didn't know it was going to effect me until i was sitting there feeling warm and light headed.

 

Things like half the Sky, The Kite Runner, videos or stories of any kind of stoning or disfigurement to middle eastern women bother me---a lot. But I won't shelter myself from it. 

 

Colleges have counseling services. They are there for a reason. 

 

It might be reasonable for a professor to say, this film has such and such feel free to not watch it, but to try to prepare for all "triggers" right out of the gate is impossible.

 

My FIL has PTSD...goodness knows just basic lif ecan be triggering for him at times. The rest of us can only do so much to prepare for any and all scenarios that may bother someone.

 

ETA: and yes people were bothered by our showing films of graphic genital mutilation, but we had permission, did it anyway, and you know what? We had people coming up and saying they didn't know, they didn't realize, what can I do? That's the point. 

 

 

[unsinkable]

I think they were commenting on "and I don't mean our war with Iraq." I wasn't sure how to interpret that, either.

Yes, this is what I don't understand. And why FFS?

[Jean in Newcastle]

I also want to say that perhaps some of us are using the word "trigger" in slightly different ways.  For me, a trigger is something that transports me back into that traumatic situation.  I am not aware of my current reality but am reliving the trauma with all it's sights, sounds etc.  People around me are confused because my reaction does not fit the current situation and they can't see the movie going on in my mind.  I've been triggered in that way twice and both times I was inconsolable and was screaming about a reality that no longer (thankfully) exists.  That is what PTSD can do to  you.  I have had situations that do cause me to have nightmares.  I choose to not watch SVU because some episodes do that for me.  But while it would be unpleasant to watch them, I could if it were for a class and was part of our discussion because I would be looking at it more objectively precisely because it is for a class and classwork requires that.  

[Walking-Iris]

But re read my post. I was feeling a trigger about the death---recent or not. Light headed, fainty, warm, very uncomfortable. Certainly the Vietnam war isn't recent and yet we still walk on eggshells at times with my FIL.

 

An event doesn't have to be recent to be triggering, a scenario doesn't even have to be relevant to be triggering---yes I have no personal experience with stoning or human trafficking but it can bother me just the same.

 

A smell, a sound, a color, a song, a type of food, and so on can all be triggering for a person. Triggers do not work in such a specific way. My FIL absolutely can not stand rice, the idea of rice, the smell or taste of rice....not just a dislike, but full blown panic attack. But it's just rice! And the Vietnam War isn't recent. How would the rest of the public even think to prepare for the "triggering" this food  (among other things) has on this man? They can't. They really shouldn't have to.

 

And of course anything that bothers a person to that extent---even ovarian cancer---IS in the same league as rape. No one gets to have their experience be more precious here IMHO. Not even me.

 

A trigger definitely can put you right back there. Or it can cause physiological changes---panic attacks and so on.

 

 

 

 

 

[Dory]

I also want to say that perhaps some of us are using the word "trigger" in slightly different ways.  For me, a trigger is something that transports me back into that traumatic situation.  I am not aware of my current reality but am reliving the trauma with all it's sights, sounds etc.  People around me are confused because my reaction does not fit the current situation and they can't see the movie going on in my mind.  I've been triggered in that way twice and both times I was inconsolable and was screaming about a reality that no longer (thankfully) exists.  That is what PTSD can do to  you.  I have had situations that do cause me to have nightmares.  I choose to not watch SVU because some episodes do that for me.  But while it would be unpleasant to watch them, I could if it were for a class and was part of our discussion because I would be looking at it more objectively precisely because it is for a class and classwork requires that.  

 

Yes! That's what I mean by triggering too. I also can make it through things like that if I'm given warning. If it hits me without warning, at best I will freeze up and disassociate until later when I come unglued and somewhat self destructive, but more often then not, I'll just end up becoming like a hysterical, panicky five year old.

[Farrar]

I know this has been said upthread, but I don't understand why anyone should get upset about having a small note in their syllabus that says which books contain graphic violence or s*x that might be upsetting for certain people.  That's such a small thing. Why does that mean that you should call everyone whiny crybabies?  I mean, we're talking about some people who are rape survivors and some material that's extremely graphic.  Students should still need to consume the material, they should just be able to do it with their eyes open.

 

I guess...  sometimes making changes to accommodate people or change things is genuinely hard or has a real negative effect on other people or costs a ton of money.  This is easy, it doesn't hurt anyone, it takes minimal time from the professors, it's basically free unless you count what is probably a minimal amount of extra ink on syllabi.  Why should anyone need to be nasty about this?

[Ameena]

I also want to say that perhaps some of us are using the word "trigger" in slightly different ways.  For me, a trigger is something that transports me back into that traumatic situation.  I am not aware of my current reality but am reliving the trauma with all it's sights, sounds etc.  People around me are confused because my reaction does not fit the current situation and they can't see the movie going on in my mind.  I've been triggered in that way twice and both times I was inconsolable and was screaming about a reality that no longer (thankfully) exists.  That is what PTSD can do to  you.  I have had situations that do cause me to have nightmares.  I choose to not watch SVU because some episodes do that for me.  But while it would be unpleasant to watch them, I could if it were for a class and was part of our discussion because I would be looking at it more objectively precisely because it is for a class and classwork requires that.  

 

I agree. While there is the type of "trigger" you discussed, there is also a "trigger" similar to putting a bottle of alcoholic beverage in front of a recovering alcoholic, or a recovering addict having to walk into a drug house. This is what both my friends dealt with - both unsuccessfully I might add. Just the mere study of the topic was enough to undo years of therapy.