I don't tend to comment on this type of post, but I have to say, I too was an Antioch student in Seattle, from 2010-2015. While I was appreciative in many ways of the great instruction I got from a number of different professors, I share many of your concerns about the ways students are being taught overtly to leverage their agenda onto the therapeutic relationship, and specifically in regards to a topic that I'm sure we can all agree is highly controversial, historically complex and nuanbced, and not in any way resolved to a level safe enough for pedagogical dissemination at an accredited American University. That it is introduced, discussed, wrestled with, that it might prompt construtive and mind-expanding diaglogue, I certainly have no problems with that. Am all for it actually!! But of course, in my experience, that is not at all what happened. As you know all to well, the material is presented - and really, for AUS, the whole school culturally adopted - the notion of its own righteousness, repositioning itself from a place of knowledge and knowledge creation to one of overt intent and mission. I imagine it prides itself as such, but history, I don't believe, will reflect well on them. It is, after all, the type of response that will only fuel those in disagreement, the type of agitated enactment we are simultaneously taught to avoid engaging as therapists.
Thank you for taking the brave step and sharing honestly your concerns. This really is a serious concern, and egregious in my view given the vulnerability of our client population.
Hi Olin, thank you for taking the time to read and comment. I appreciate you sharing your experience there, and I agree with you- I am also all for discussions around these topics and even discussing the viewpoints of the ideologies (CRT etc) within the program. This could provide opportunities for great discussions and intellectual and social growth. But indeed, this is not how it's happening. As you say, this program has replaced pursuit of knowledge with an overt mission. I feel cheated out of an education I paid for, and I am concerned for the students (and their clients) due to the heavy influence of reductionist identity ideologies...
I don't tend to comment on this type of post, but I have to say, I too was an Antioch student in Seattle, from 2010-2015. While I was appreciative in many ways of the great instruction I got from a number of different professors, I share many of your concerns about the ways students are being taught overtly to leverage their agenda onto the therapeutic relationship, and specifically in regards to a topic that I'm sure we can all agree is highly controversial, historically complex and nuanbced, and not in any way resolved to a level safe enough for pedagogical dissemination at an accredited American University. That it is introduced, discussed, wrestled with, that it might prompt construtive and mind-expanding diaglogue, I certainly have no problems with that. Am all for it actually!! But of course, in my experience, that is not at all what happened. As you know all to well, the material is presented - and really, for AUS, the whole school culturally adopted - the notion of its own righteousness, repositioning itself from a place of knowledge and knowledge creation to one of overt intent and mission. I imagine it prides itself as such, but history, I don't believe, will reflect well on them. It is, after all, the type of response that will only fuel those in disagreement, the type of agitated enactment we are simultaneously taught to avoid engaging as therapists.
Thank you for taking the brave step and sharing honestly your concerns. This really is a serious concern, and egregious in my view given the vulnerability of our client population.
Hi Olin, thank you for taking the time to read and comment. I appreciate you sharing your experience there, and I agree with you- I am also all for discussions around these topics and even discussing the viewpoints of the ideologies (CRT etc) within the program. This could provide opportunities for great discussions and intellectual and social growth. But indeed, this is not how it's happening. As you say, this program has replaced pursuit of knowledge with an overt mission. I feel cheated out of an education I paid for, and I am concerned for the students (and their clients) due to the heavy influence of reductionist identity ideologies...