Students have demanded trigger warnings at Oberlin College, Rutgers University, the University of Michigan and George Washington University as well as UCSB. The Times reproduces an excerpt from an Oberlin "draft guide," which reads: "Triggers are not only relevant to sexual misconduct, but also to anything that might cause trauma. Be aware of racism, classism, sexism, heterosexism, cissexism, ableism, and other Issues of privilege and oppression. Realize that all forms of violence are traumatic, and that your students have lives before and outside your classroom, experiences you may not expect or understand." ("Cissexism" refers to prejudice in favor of men and women who identify themselves, respectively, as men and women.)
A capacity for thought does not appear to have played any part in gaining them admission to college.
At my university where I formerly taught, we were similarly instructed as instructors to be super-sensitive to such "triggers." Bunk! The short-form of the instructions should be this: every student has feelings, and if you hurt someone's feelings, you will run the risk of losing your job. Ain't the 21st century a wonder!
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