Students at Texas A&M are getting a chance to fly their school colors — if they subscribe to the school of Fauci Fealty.
Drew Morton, who teaches film history at Texas A&M University-Texarkana, is offering a novel way to earn extra credit this semester.
Per a copy of the syllabus obtained by Campus Reform, here’s how MCOM 2370: Introduction to American Film History’s description reads:
This face-to-face course focuses on the historical development of cinema in America from the 1890s to the contemporary period. Students will study the technology, the industrial structures, the personnel, and the films that have marked the evolution of film from silent shorts, through the rise and fall of the Hollywood studio system, to the period of conglomeration and convergence that currently defines the industry.
“Face-to-face,” in this case, may be less than literal. Noses and mouths are but weeds in the garden of exemplary education:
If the entire face to face class — everyone — properly wears a surgical grade mask during the entire class session (over the nose and mouth, not taking it off to talk) there [will] be a 15% extra credit boost (one percentage point per week).
It’s an interesting idea: A particular grade will relate to American film; but if all partake in the modern update to bringing the teacher an apple, a wholly different letter grade might await.
As for the scale of 15 percent, that’s only five less than each of the class’s two exams:
Weekly short responses: 30 percent
Research paper: 30 percent
Midterm: 20 percent
Final: 20 percent
Is current COVID the killer that was heralded in 2020? Are infected college students substantially at risk? Such questions may be more appropriate in virology class. And such a uniform requirement might be at home in communism class — individual pressure to suffer for the sake of the group could be considerable.
Of course, if the teacher is critically vulnerable, it seems he shouldn’t take chances. Yet, chances are on the docket. What if all in the class but two agree to mask? What if one holdout prohibits total compliance?
Professor Drew reiterates — it’s all or nothing:
If 19 out of 20 students do it? There will be no extra credit.
Hence, if you’re the only anti-masker, you may be deemed responsible for classmates’ less-than-loftiest grades.
For such rugged individualism, there might soon be a pressure-relieving pill:
In the meantime, the clash between masking for an illness the FDA has compared to the flu and showing one’s face with wild abandon continues to rage.
And at Texas A&M-Texarkana, one teacher is doing his best to muzzle the masses, while the school’s policy leaves it up to each student. But even there, face-shrouding is strongly encouraged:
While A&M-Texarkana does not require you to be vaccinated or to wear masks, you are strongly encouraged to do your part to keep our university community safe by getting vaccinated, wearing a mask while in public indoor settings, and frequently washing your hands. These actions are known to be effective in reducing the spread of COVID-19.
Is more masking in America’s future? It would seem most citizens won’t be so compliant next time around. Then again, surely many would have expected a majority resistance the first time.
Plus, extra credit isn’t limited to American Film History: Out in the world, everyone gets at least a 15 percent boost in Virtue Signaling 101.
-ALEX
See more content from me:
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