Victor Davis Hanson’s Reflections on Teaching Challenges

Victor Davis Hanson, a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution, shared his experiences teaching at California State University, Fresno, during a recent episode of “Victor Davis Hanson: In His Own Words.”

Hanson was awarded the American Philosophical Association’s Excellence in Teaching Award in 1991 while he was still a student. He mentioned that he ultimately resigned because his students struggled to engage with the classic literature he assigned in his introductory humanities course.

“I taught at California State University for 21 years,” he remarked to co-host Jack Fowler. “When I began in 1984, my Introduction to the Humanities course included nine readings—starting with Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey, and covering works by Sophocles, Euripides, and Plato, among others. By the end of my time there, that same course had been reduced to two readings: Homer and Sophocles. It was increasingly clear that the students were unable to keep up with the material.”

He recalled beginning with 30 students in his class, but by 2004, the number had grown to 58, many of whom couldn’t read the assigned texts. One student even expressed, “Mr. Hanson, I can’t keep up. Can I leave without failing?” This prompted Hanson to invite the student to his office.

In their conversation, Hanson handed the student a copy of the Iliad, asking, “Can you read this?” The student seemed perplexed by the text’s meaning, particularly about emotions like anger. After giving a brief reading, Hanson noted how long it took him to read a page—realizing it was a daunting task for the student.

Hanson reflected, “He was right. It takes a week to read the Odyssey, and here I was expecting too much.” He faced challenges regarding student eligibility, feeling pressured to pass students who clearly weren’t prepared for the course. He recalled hearing, “He’s on the football team,” when he attempted to fail underperforming students.

Eventually, Hanson chose to retire, despite concerns that he was acting irrationally, stating, “I just couldn’t take it anymore. You’re admitting students who can’t read or write.”

On a personal note, Hanson announced in late December that he had been diagnosed with a serious health issue and would require significant surgery, which took place on December 30. Former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice later confirmed that he had undergone surgery to remove a cancerous tumor, stating he is currently recovering and remaining hopeful.