let's see: yesterday these airline employee person (i guess i'd be angry and insecure too working in that biz) referred to a cmu faculty member as a "nazi."

no, flat out called that person a nazi.

libel anyway you slice it. why? well, from what i gather we're now using the term "nazi" to describe a teacher we don't like. my how that phrase has been watered down and made trite in the past 60 years.

look: there are a number of powerful and effective avenues students can use to protest wrong-doing in the classroom. administrators take such accusations seriously and students have a direct voice and access to a teacher's administrators. if something is seriously amiss, the SOS (lol) is not the format to use. instead directly pass go, collect your $200, and file a formal complaint.

if you think a teacher is boring or you don't like his/her perfume or if think he/she has bad breath or if you think you should have gotten an "A" on the paper you barfed out a half hour before class after partying all night, use the SOS form by all means.

but none of that stuff warrants the use of the term "nazi."