Penn State University Assignment: 'Taliban Are Not Terrorists'

An undeniably grotesque teaching assignment has been given to students at Penn State University.

It is titled “L01 Short Paper.” The teaching assignment called for 500 words, double spaced.

The assignment title page reads:

Topic: “Explain why the Taliban are not Terrorists.”

Kylie Stone is a student at Penn State University and she told The Fox News Channel program, Fox & Friends, this morning that she was shocked by this assignment.

“I had made it through four years of school and had never seen anything this insane. It’s my last semester and a teacher is basically telling me you have to do this or I’m going to fail you.”

I don’t believe that Ms. Stone is overstating the case. In the email, explaining the assignment it precisely reads: “In one page, explain why the Taliban is have not and are still not a terrorist organization.”

Further, the assignment continues …

You are not allowed to answer this question in any other way. Any attempt to avoid the answering this prompt as written or trying to argue otherwise will result in a failing grade.

This is some kind of pseudo-psychobabble, in order to portray the Taliban in a sympathetic way. It’s unconscionable. The assignment was worth 100 points according to the instructional email to students. Stone has since transferred out of this class.

This is one of the most disgusting teaching assignments that I have ever heard about, anywhere, anytime. What reasonable or appropriate reason could there ever be to give students an assignment such as this?

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The Taliban is undeniably a terrorist group. There should never be a contrary position to this fact.

The Taliban is directly responsible for the deaths of countless thousands of innocent men and women. Their methods are beyond barbaric and medieval. The Taliban regularly tortures and kills innocent people. They have treated women particularly and horrifically badly.

For example, from age 8 to infinity, women are not allowed to be in direct contact with males other than a close blood relative, husband, or in-law.

Here are just some of the restrictions placed upon women in “Taliban society.” There are many more.

Women cannot be outside without a male relative.
Women cannot wear high heels. Their twisted rationale is that the sound will create lust by men.
Women cannot speak loudly in public, because strangers should not be able to hear their voices.
All first-floor or ground-floor windows are to be painted over so that no one from the street can see a woman.
Taking a photo of a woman or displaying it is prohibited.
Women are prohibited from appearing on their own balconies.
Women cannot hold employment.
Women cannot go to school.
Women cannot drive a car.
Women cannot appear on radio or television.
Any place that has the name “woman” in it, must be changed and the word “woman” must be taken out.

The Taliban is one of the most brutal regimes in the history of the world.

During the Fox and Friends segment, they displayed an academic, along with a graphic which read:

One man’s freedom fighter is another man’s terrorist.

I have no words to properly convey my contempt for this quote.

Apparently, the phrase is attributed to Gerald Seymour in his 1975 book "Harry's Game" and it became famous during the 1980s.

In conclusion, for a professor at Penn State University to believe, or, the rationale for educational purposes that an assignment like this was somehow appropriate, is absolutely disgusting.

It is important to recognize that this is not some one-off situation. Outrageous teaching assignments like this are happening all over America with increasing regularity.

It is nothing short of indoctrination of young Americans to further a political agenda, no matter how repulsive or outrageous it is … The ends justify the means.

This is a disturbing case study … A microcosm of America, today.

SOURCE: The Fox News Channel (Fox & Friends) on-air segment of 1/14/22. History of The Taliban sections are top of mind from my own research over the years.