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Teacher bias appears to cross many boundaries. It seems to exist in high schools, colleges and graduate universities. Many times it falls into a deafening silence because of the intimidation that a student can feel from questioning the authority of someone in that position. It becomes tolerated and silenced by fear.

In my mid-thirties, I made the decision to return to college for a second degree to gain a sharpened knowledge of business and further my education. I had my eyes opened from how I perceive college professors now in relation to when I first attended college fresh out of high school.

The first night in my creative writing class, the teacher gave us the syllabus for her requirements.

The midterm "exam" lit up like a flashing red light to me. "Letter to President George W. Bush" We "only" had to write an email addressed to President Bush at an e-mail address the professor had provided. She stated that in order to get a passing grade on the assignment, the e-mail needed to tell President Bush how we disagreed with his position on the war in Iraq and that we did not support the war or him. We were to tell him that we wanted the troops to come home immediately.

In my amazement, not one student questioned the assignment. As I looked around, I saw the eyes of students that were still kids with their first taste a professor's abuse of power. Whether anyone agreed or disagreed on this topic, the manner in which it was assigned to be completed was not ethical by any standards.

A professor should never require their students to be their mouthpiece under the guise of an assignment. Had it been that the student could choose to either support or disagree with the topic, there would have been no questioning the task.

Yes, there were some students who did not care and probably reacted that way to most assignments given to them. They were only there because college was their parent's idea. There were also the students that you could see felt it would be in their best interest not question the professor out of intimidation and fear.

Maybe because this was not my first time in college, I knew I had the right to ask more about this. I raised my hand and was acknowledged to speak. "I think I'm missing a page of your syllabus. I don't see the other side of this assignment if you do not disagree with President Bush."

You could hear a wide variety of reactions from the students from muffled laughter to whispered gasps. The professor's body language became the answer I

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