Stanley Fish's essay, titled “Academic Cross-Dressing,” presents historical arguments on the topic of academic freedom at the university level. These freedoms are an incredibly important topic within our education system. The article states that its position is pro-freedom regardless of content or prior thought. That is to say that the importance of learning is how to reflect on the importance of what you think. I strongly believe that education, particularly in a university setting, should focus on teaching not only subjects of interest but also interesting thoughts. In my essay we will examine the topic of “teaching controversy” and academic freedom within our university system. Academic freedom is power. Not implied, not suggested, but truly one of the most leveraged assets you can have. In the category of education in our country there is generally more freedom than constraints. Writers, theologians, professors, students, and even editors wield incredible power. What comes from this environment is problematic and a success story. One of the reasons our country has the best engineers is that we teach students to ask not just why, but why not. Many students would claim that the 1960s era was the birthplace of free educational thought. History teachers would say otherwise. The subject is not a left or right position. The topic is sometimes used to promote a left-wing, right-wing, or center-wing agenda. So in a sense academic freedom, or at least the topic of free thought, has been exploited by those in power in order to promote a position or at least introduce it. This is not a new idea. It may be that the 1960s were a time of greater leniency towards the collection site... middle of paper... of competition with our neighbors around the world, an attitude of openness to new ideas and development is necessary. Commonality of importance is a crucial factor in whether we can achieve understanding and otherwise continue to develop as learners. The game of tug of war within colleges and universities is currently a game that has evolved over the last hundred years and will continue to change. Our job as students is to listen, learn, and sometimes pick up the slack. Works Cited American Association of University Professors: Committee A on Academic Freedom and Tenure. Freedom in the classroom. June 2007. March 18, 2011. Fish, Stanley. “Academic Disguise: How Intelligent Design Draws Its Arguments from the Left.” Bloom, Lynn Z and Louise Z Smith. The Contexts and Connections of Arlington Reader Second Edition. Boston: Bedford: St. Martin's, 2008. 532-537.