Rita Panahi: Monash Uni’s Indigenous module is blatant ideological bullying

Universities should be focused on fact-based learning, but instead, Monash has become the latest to engage in blatant ideological bullying.

Indoctrination at Monash University has gone from subtle to shameless.

There was a time when academia would at least feign interest in open discourse, critical thinking and be a little artful in pushing their Leftist agenda.

Those days are long gone.

Today the ideological bullying is blatant.

On Monday night on my Sky News program we revealed that Monash was forcing students to undertake a module on ‘‘Indigenous Australian Voices’’ which looks like it was written by Lidia Thorpe.

You’d think students would’ve been exposed to enough self-loathing studies in high school to make this module redundant.

Monash University was forcing students to undertake a module on ‘‘Indigenous Australian Voices’’. Picture: Andrew Henshaw

Even back in my day, and boy that was a long time ago, we were taught the black armband view of Australian history.

To give you an idea of how balanced the compulsory module is, look at the description on Monash’s website.

It begins with: “Monash University recognises that its Australian campuses are located on the unceded lands of the people of the Kulin Nations …” and doesn’t get any better.

The website also contained this ominous warning to anyone who fails to complete the module in a timely manner.

“If you don’t complete compulsory modules by the deadline, you will be encumbered. This means you can’t access Moodle or library resources, your academic record or results, sit eExams, or graduate. And this will interfere with your participation in your units and submitting assessments.”

But it’s amazing what a little sunlight can do.

After Sky News’ report, the university altered its policy and removed many of the punishments for students.

The university website now advises: ‘‘What happens if I don’t complete the module? If you don’t complete compulsory modules by the deadline, you’ll lose access to your units in Moodle until the modules are completed. So make sure you complete them on time.’’

Though the harshest consequences have been removed, failure to finish the module will still see students unable to complete their studies as they won’t have access to the online system, Moodle.

The Left’s march through the institutions is all but complete.

Universities should be focused on fact-based learning and creating environments where robust debate and a diversity of views are welcome but they have become groupthink factories where students self-censor lest they be punished for wrongthink.