How a Civics School With a Conservative Bent Divided Its Supporters
The New York Times • • nation
Key Points:
- The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill offers a course called “Men and Women” that includes unconventional requirements such as going on a date, planning weddings, and organizing a ball, with guest speakers presenting diverse perspectives on gender issues.
- The course aims to foster open debate on gender topics amid concerns about a “masculinity crisis,” but some students feel it promotes traditional gender roles in dating, marriage, and family life.
- The class is part of the U.N.C. School of Civic Life and Leadership, one of many conservative academic programs nationwide designed to counter perceived leftist dominance on college campuses by emphasizing Western thought, America’s founders, and civil discourse.
- These conservative centers have attracted significant donor support and legislative backing in several red-leaning states, but they have also faced criticism and skepticism from mainstream academics and some early supporters for generating distrust.
