Would you report this group chat?

[Fabulously]

My university has a student forum where the module chair shared details of a group chat he created for students to get study support. The group chat is not officially endorsed by the university but has well over 100 students and university staff members included such as tutors.

I’ve only been in it a week (haven’t posted anything) - but it gets heated; the module chair sends frequent edgy jokes about politics, disabilities, schools etc. Others join in with more outright inappropriate messages about immigration and benefits & the like, arguing ensues.

Earlier today, he got into a full argument with one of the students who started insulting the module chair’s mother in response, module chair responded in kind - basically a bizarre dispute. Would you just exit the chat or also make some attempt to report the unprofessional messages? I feel uncomfortable reporting given staff members are involved, as I wouldn’t want it to impact my studies! But at the same time it makes me look at the university differently, if the staff act like this, like I wouldn’t go to that module chair for help if I had to.

A full range of relevant discussion should be encouraged, but you don't make academic progress in maths by hearing your tutor's thoughts on benefits claimants (or their marital problems, piles, or difficulty getting a window cleaner).

Having professional boundaries is not censorship.

Also a lecturer and this is so insanely unprofessional, I would also say report if you feel able.

It's not censoring views, it's holding staff to the expectations for professional conduct that we all sign up for in doing this job.

If this were an in person support group and the lecturer showed up and just ranted about nonsense and insulted people, would it be more obvious that this is about professionalism?

It's a professional Whatsapp group for study at University, your 'some' argument holds no weight, we know the context.

The OP is, at best, a very unreliable narrator. She believes she is superior to anyone who disagrees with her and that those who write words that enrage her have no right to exist in this world.

She has stated this in a public forum. Imagine what she'd say if she were not restricted. Imagine believing yourself to be a superior person and having issues with other people's comments when you are capable of such venom.

There is no reason therefore to believe anybody in the chat is saying anything particularly remarkable or notable, and aligning yourself with a woman like this is not a win for anyone.

If OP could quote anything that would be notable, she'd have done so - and I am afraid that after being told I should not exist for having thoughts she does not agree with I would not be inclined to believe anything she said now anyway

As to the chat itself, they are all adult human beings who can, and should, make their own decisions about the chat.

If the person running the chat thinks things are getting out of hand, it is his/her responsiblity to say so.

OP has a few options.

She can leave adults in peace to have thoughts she does not agree with and get on with existing (although that would not be her preference, obviously) and just leave the chat. I am sure there is a Red Guard chat she'd be suited to, somewhere.

She can report it. Nothing will be done because nothing can be done about adult people existing and speaking words you don't like to other adults. I think she should report it, actually, as it would at least let other people know her character, while not actually shutting down the chat.

She can start her own chat and police their thoughts carefully.

She could have a bit of a backbone and, if someone is derailing the chat, say "I'm really keen to stick to the topic of a/b/c can anybody answer this?

I would not be part of a chat group like this, I'd find it irritating at best and likely be offended by much of the content. But as I am not a totalitarian who believes in censorship for wrongthink, I'd just do the adult thing and leave.

Do you seriously think what I wrote has relevance to what you are saying. Of course universities should be a place of ideas and debate that can lead to challenging views and opinions. But a WhatsApp tutorial group for Mathematics is a group for challenging thoughts and discussions on Mathematics and maybe theories, history, and the Mathematician's place in society etc. Not a place for people to rant about personal issues with explicit bias and prejudice, especially when it's the leader of the group.

"Should" is doing a lot of heavy lifting here. There's lots of things that should and should not happen - but they don't and they do, regardless.

They're adults, they can sort it for themselves, and OP offered absolutely no examples (and then ran away after showing her true colours!) so it could just be her explicit bias and prejudice that's the problem. Anyway, it wasn't worth an AIBU at all, few things are tbh, she should just do it, or not, no need to post in the hope of group approval, most of these AIBUs are just looking for a dopamine hit from people telling them what a wonderful person they are and run away when they're told they're not.

Be still my beating heart! A real keyboard warrior gracing us fickle women of Mumsnet with his presence.
I thought true heroes were no more.

I forgot about this guy! He's been squatting and dropping posts here too?

‘ it’s quite clear that the world would be a better place without you in it’

Hate speech of course, from you OP. But I won’t ‘report’ you since you saying that, no matter how repulsive it is, is your right to do so.

It would seem that you are projecting, and judging those in the chat group by your own standards. Of course..