When Politics Attack

It is generally understood that educators (and especially administrators) must maintain a reasonably level of objectivity and personal restraint when mentioning politics or other highly controversial topics.  We have a mission to reach out to ALL members of society, and alienating some showing strong endorsement for one side or another of a heated political debate is generally seen as antithetical to our mission.

However, Brian Rosenberg, president of Macalester College, recently asked

“Under what circumstances and to what extent should a college or university president speak directly to political issues and even speak publicly on particular political candidacies?”


Read his full post on Huffington Post.

He concludes that when a political candidate, or the views of a candidate are a direct threat to the institution of education, then it is not only appropriate to speak up, but educators and administrators have a responsibility to do so.

I fully agree with his stance on this, and the particular examples he refers too, but I wonder where others fall? Are we all always going to agree which views are a direct threat to the institution, or will that opinion itself be clouded by personal bias and emotion?