The Toronto Globe and Mail story describes the resolution of the matter at York University. The Dean and the department faculty both weighed in. The exception was not made and after the review process the student was satisfied with the decision. One of the issues raised by the Dean was the minimal impact on other students of allowing a student to not participate in a group with women. While this might be true in some cases, it seems invidious to me in the case of team learning principles. Teams are usually designed to be diverse. Having members of diverse types usually, if not always, brings useful diverse experiences to any group. I didn't appreciate the true value of this until I experience group selecting/sorting methods that allowed teams to select themselves. Students tended to select others like themselves. This led to at least one group, possibly several, failing to have certain critical knowledge or skills that the needed to finish their activity. No one could fault the intelligence of the members; they were just missing something valuable and necessary. It does seem to me that much of the point of the team interactions is the development of better interactions with others who are different. There is a myriad of benefits to this, so it hardly seems worth listing them here. However, this is particularly important in a professional program where students will enter a profession and work with other professionals, some like themselves and some with other training and licensure. (Doctors and nurses have to learn to work together to solve problems during their professional lives.) Where there is an institutional commitment to team learning, the institutional response should be well thought out, evidence-based, and clear: you must take your group as it comes. Part of the Globe and Mail story suggests that students are choosing distance learning courses to avoid interactions with others. This is unfortunate, but not preventable. Regards, David Smith On Thu, Jan 9, 2014 at 7:21 PM, Graciela Elizalde-Utnick < [log in to unmask]> wrote: > Thanks for the links. > Best, > Graciela > > Sent from my iPad > > On Jan 9, 2014, at 2:11 PM, "Winter, Liz" <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > > Hello, > > > > Pease see these links related to federal court decisions on similar > situations at Eastern Michigan and Augusta State. > > http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2010/07/28/counseling > > > http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2011/12/20/appeals-court-rejects-appeal-anti-gay-students-challenge-counseling-rules > > > > > > Liz Winter, Ph.D., LSW > > Academic Coordinator and Clinical Assistant Professor > > Child Welfare Education for Leadership Program > > School of Social Work > > University of Pittsburgh > > > > 2327 Cathedral of Learning > > Pittsburgh, PA 15260 > > Phone: 412-648-2371 > > Fax: 412-624-1159 > > > > > > NOTICE: The information transmitted is intended only for the person or > entity to which it is addressed and may contain confidential and/or > privileged material. Any review, retransmission, dissemination or other > use of, or taking of any action in reliance upon, this information by > person or entities other than the intended recipient is prohibited. If you > received this in error, please contact the sender and delete the material > from any computer > > > > > > > > *From:* Team-Based Learning [mailto:[log in to unmask]<[log in to unmask]>] > *On Behalf Of *Graciela Elizalde-Utnick > *Sent:* Thursday, January 09, 2014 12:02 PM > *To:* [log in to unmask] > *Subject:* Re: Student refuses to meet with females > > > > I once had a student who refused to watch R-rated films in my > multicultural counseling class, a graduate school counseling class. She was > a young, single, Orthodox Jewish girl who said her Rabbi told her that she > shouldn't watch such films. It is our philosophy that school counselors > have to work with all children. Potentially a student might come out to her > in a session. I was not going to provide an alternative assignment. I met > with her and her Rabbi along with a colleague. It was clear that it was > more of the student's issue and not so much religious doctrine. The student > who was not married did not want to be influenced by sexual and/or violent > content of the films. The films are an integral part of the course and > provide wonderful case material for student activities. The student chose > to come to our program, but there were other colleges she could choose. > While we were sympathetic, the basic mission of our program was to be able > to work with all students and the films helped jumpstart some difficult > dialogues. It was clear from the meeting that the Rabbi did not forbid the > films, and it was the student. Ultimately, she decided to go to a different > program. We all have rights, but there are times that we need to hold on to > our academic freedom. There are options for where students can enroll. I > hope this helps. This was a delicate matter for us because the course > itself focuses on being sensitive to cultural differences, etc. But in the > end, there was a line that we wouldn't cross. Our students are required to > have some transformative learning activities. While we do not look to > change individuals' values and beliefs, we expect them to advocate for and > work with all children and their families. > > Best, > > Graciela > > Brooklyn College, City University of New York > > > Graciela Elizalde-Utnick, Ph.D. > > > On Jan 9, 2014, at 11:40 AM, "Anderson, Nadia [ARCH]" < > [log in to unmask]> wrote: > > This is a really interesting article having just finished training on > Title IX and other discrimination/harrassment policies. > > > > On one hand the student's refusal to work with female students potentially > creates a hostile environment for those students; on the other hand, does > forcing participation violate the student's right to religious freedom? I > would assume that when a student enrolls in a coeducational college or > university, they are inherently agreeing to work with students of all > genders however I don't know if this is a binding/legal policy. > > > > Thanks for posting! > > Nadia > > > > Nadia M. Anderson > > Assistant Professor, Architecture > > Co-Director, ISU Community Design Lab > > Iowa State University > > 515-294-0339 > > [log in to unmask] > > > > *From: *Jim Sibley <[log in to unmask]> > *Reply-To: *Jim Sibley <[log in to unmask]> > *Date: *Thursday, January 9, 2014 9:10 AM > *To: *"[log in to unmask]" <[log in to unmask]> > *Subject: *Re: Student refuses to meet with females > > > > Hi > > > > There needs to be an institution response to this > > > > We had something similar when turn it in came to town....and a few > students refused to play along > > > > Our institutional response was that is your right...BUT we use turn it > in....if you want a degree from our institution....you need to as > well....or go find another school > > > > Jim > > Sent from my iPad > > > On Jan 9, 2014, at 5:37 AM, Lion Gardiner <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > > Good Morning, Colleagues, > > As you may have noted in this morning's *Inside Higher Ed,* the *Globe > and Mail* reports that a male student protested having to meet with a > learning group containing females in a course he was taking. > > > http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/education/religious-accommodation-or-accessory-to-sexism-york-students-case-stirs-debate/article16246401/ > > Suppose you had such a student, male or female, who was a *regular, > full-time on-campus* student, in your TBL course, but refused to meet > with peers of the other gender. How would you handle this? How would your > institution react to this potentially legally fraught situation? What are > the implications for a TBL course as a whole of granting this kind of > request? Would the situation be any different for objections to meeting > with gays? transsexual students? members of other ethnicities? > > Lion Gardiner > > -- > > Lion F. Gardiner, Ph.D. > > Professor Emeritus, Zoology > > Rutgers University > > 212.226.2749 > > [log in to unmask] > > Higher Education Consultation > > -- David W. Smith, Ph.D., MPH Chartered Statistician