More teaching, less preaching

A subject on tourism for example, “explores travel and tourism through themes such as gender, class, race, imperialism, war, sexuality, modernity, postmodernity and consumption.” A subject on design considers “how architecture perpetuates the social order of gender”, while another on identity examines “whiteness as a representation of oppression”.

For daring to raise the issue of blatant academic bias, the Young Liberals have been heavily criticised by the left leaning cultural warriors at the Australian Broadcasting Corporation and The Sydney Morning Herald. Notably though, none of these critics has been able to deny the veracity of the claim that academia tilts overwhelmingly and disproportionately to the left. This is because the empirical evidence that exists today demonstrates unequivocally that far-left opinions have been allowed to flourish on university campuses.

Research carried out in the United States shows that more than 70 per cent of academics labelled themselves as from the left side of politics, while only 15 per cent identified as conservative. Another US study reported that 76 per cent of political donations from academia were for the Democratic Party.

Predictably, such a concentration of one-sided ideological views in academia has had a damaging effect on dialogue, debate and intellectual diversity - with a corresponding silencing of dissent for opposing views.

On university campuses today, there is only one acceptable opinion on climate change, industrial relations, the Iraq War, the US or gender.

As the recent documentary Indoctrinate-U explained “If you get the answer wrong in Maths, then you're simply wrong. But if you get the answer wrong in Arts, then you're a bad person.”

This new McCarthyism on campus is causing students to feel fearful, isolated and intimidated, simply for not having the “correct” opinions. As a social science major recently explained to us: "I don't know whether I can write my own experiences and opinions … the lecturer of this same subject is always making jokes about previous members of the Howard government … I would really like it if lectures and tutors were neutral".

Ultimately, the personal political views of academics should not be an issue. Academics, just like the rest of us, are entitled to hold any political views they wish. It's when the classroom or curriculum is used to push these political ideas onto unsuspecting students that this becomes a problem.

There are signs now that this continued ideological indoctrination is having a profoundly negative effect on academic standards. A recent study by the Australian National University found that the literacy and numeracy of Australian students has not actually improved since the 1960s - despite massive increases in funding.

If Australia is to be competitive in a globalised economy, we need to be empowering children by providing a balanced education that focuses on getting the basics right, rather than on indoctrination. Students from all backgrounds have the right to an education free from politicisation, whether it comes from the left or the right.

A truly successful education system that promotes intellectual diversity and maximises the educational capacity of each student is critical to securing our long term prosperity.