Have you ever been in a classroom where the professor has a sailor’s mouth? For some professors, curse words flow easily and personal opinions are given freely. Whether or not it’s okay for professors to behave in this manner is a debatable topic.
Nicole Snitzer, a sophomore business administration major and Spanish and international studies minor, thinks for the most part that it is acceptable for professors to swear.  “I believe that [swearing] is okay as long as the swearing isn’t malicious or directed at a student or a person in particular,” Snitzer said. “It makes the teacher seem a little more relatable to the students. If the teacher swore every sentence or every other word, I would find issue with that technique.”
Senior biology allied health major Loretta Nutaitis has a different opinion on the matter.  “The classroom is supposed to be a place of higher education, a learning environment, not a place for obscene language,” Nutaitis said. “By swearing, I think the professors lose some respect from the students. Losing this respect diminishes the amount of learning going on.”
On the matter of personal opinions given by professors, Snitzer thinks it’s acceptable as long as students know it is the professor’s opinion.  “I always look for different views before I make my own decision on an issue, and it is helpful to know what knowledgeable people, like our professors, think and why they think it,” Snitzer said. However, she also explained that she respects professors who do not express their own opinions and want students to come up with an unbiased opinion of their own.
First-year corporate communications major Andrew Calnon has a different opinion on the topic. He doesn’t think that it is necessary for professors to give their own opinions.  He wants to learn facts and information about a subject from the professors, not their opinions. “This process of professors exclaiming what they think is teaching us to be like them, and to follow what they think is true in life,” Calnon said.
Overall, Calnon and Nutaitis both made it a point to say that they believe that the professors at Etown conduct themselves in a professional manner. “I believe that the professors [here] are extremely professional.  My professors have always tried to make classes fun and interesting while still making sure we get our education. My professors have always made me feel as if I was on equal footing with them. They have never talked down to me when asking them for help. They are very welcoming,” Nutaitis said.
“Teachers are human beings and human beings have opinions. If it’s relevant to the course, I think the sharing of opinions should always be welcomed from students and educators. I love opposing viewpoints. It makes life interesting,” Dr. Colin Helb, assistant professor of communications,  said.
Kim Lemon, communications lecturer, has an interesting perspective on the topic of swearing.  “I do not think it’s okay for professors to swear ‘at’ students.  There is no place for that kind of conduct in any professional setting.  If a professor swears in class, it should be in proper context, perhaps in the telling of a story,” Lemon said. Lemon believes that it is suitable for professors to give their opinions as long as they are relevant to the class. “I was the professor for a First-Year Seminar.  It was called ‘The Fearless Presence: Changing Your Life One Word at a Time,’” Lemon said. “The course was very personal and I openly expressed my opinions and beliefs.”  Lemon continued, “In the classroom, my job is to convey a sense of urgency and excitement about the day’s lesson. Sometimes that requires that I offer up my whole self … even what’s in my heart.”
It seems that students and professors alike generally agree that swearing is acceptable to an extent and personal opinions should be given only under certain appropriate circumstances.  Overall, professors at Etown conduct themselves in professional manners and make Etown an excellent place to learn.