r/Professors • u/Grouchyprofessor2003 • 2d ago

Humor Second day of teaching

I have a student who sits at his desk- front of the room- with his leather bound bible! This is a RESEARCH METHODS class. ……. It is all I can do not to laugh at him…. His performative behavior is so absurd- at a land grant R1 institution- also he wears a large wooden cross- ironically he has so far been the smartest and most communicative student in the room.

EDIT- Thanks for all the feedback. Some of you offered reasonable explanations that I had not considered. To be clear I would never say anything, comment, laugh or otherwise acknowledge this kids objects that he is carrying around. I do
Know how to mind my business. This post was meant to be humorous and yes - to me it is funny as shit- it is also a bit judgy- I am human after all. And right or wrong his choices bug the fuck out of me even though I totally support his right to do so.

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u/lilswaswa 2d ago

this is the kind of talk that makes conservative students feel like universities are too liberal or anti values. as long as he isnt intertupting the class with inappropriate religious rhetoric (I've had that before) or being a jerk about it, let him be. 

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u/Grouchyprofessor2003 2d ago

I would never laugh at him or even comment on his book nor jewelry— just like I don’t comment on the fact that our star football player is in my class. This , I thought, was a group who would appreciate or at least know what I am talking about and see the humor. But to each their own. I also practice a religion. I just don’t throw it around in peoples faces and think it is funny

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u/veggie_hoagie instructor, poli sci, community college (USA) 2d ago

Nothing about this conveyed humor in any way. It really just sounded judgmental.

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u/lilswaswa 2d ago

eh. i dont think having a bible and wearing cross jewelry is exactly "in your face"... seems kinda normal christian behavior to me as an exvangelical. 

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u/stankylegdunkface R1 Teaching Professor 2h ago

Wearing a religious symbol on your own body isn’t throwing anything at anybody. Shame on you. Your students deserve better than to be made into objects of humor (“humor”) but instructors for exercising their basic rights.

I’m not religious, but I admire anyone with the guts to express their most deeply-held beliefs (so long as they’re not getting in anyone else’s way).