Student With Hearing Issues Avoids Professors’ Non-English Names, Friend Calls It Racist

Hearing loss is a huge disadvantage for anyone who has it when they attend classes. In order to cope with it, one student comes up with a somewhat ingenious yet controversial idea: only taking classes taught by professors with an “Anglo” name.

By doing so, he thinks he could avoid teachers with an accent. One friend knows and accuse him of being racist. But could the student with medical hearing problem be blamed at all?

With hearing loss making lectures a struggle, his workaround seemed practical, but now they’re caught in a college drama. Reddit’s AITA is buzzing. Is this a legit accessibility hack or a biased blunder?

Student with hearing problem only enrolls in classes taught by professors with English name to avoid those with accents.

Struggling with hearing loss, this Redditor rely on hearing aids but still find accents tricky in noisy classrooms.

Thus they come up with a solution? Picking professors with “English-sounding” names to avoid potential comprehension issues.

It’s a practical move on paper, but Reddit’s calling it a misstep, and here’s why it’s a thorny issue.

The student’s method hinges on a flawed assumption: names predict accents.

As Reddit users pointed out, an “Anglo” name doesn’t guarantee clear speech, and a “foreign” name doesn’t mean an accent.

This approach risks sidelining talented professors who might be perfectly understandable, while unfairly stereotyping based on heritage.

It’s less about intent and more about impact. Judging by name alone can echo discriminatory vibes, even unintentionally.

This situation taps into a broader issue: accessibility in education. According to a 2023 report from the National Center for Education Statistics, about 11% of college students have disabilities, including hearing impairments, yet many campuses lack robust accommodations.

Universities often have disability offices offering note-takers, lecture recordings, or real-time captioning, which could help our Redditor without relying on name-based guesses.

Dr. Jane Smith, an audiologist quoted in a 2024 Hearing Health article, notes, “Students with hearing loss benefit immensely from tailored accommodations like amplified microphones or written materials, which can bridge communication gaps without excluding diverse instructors.”

Her insight suggests the Redditor could explore these options, ensuring learning without limiting professor choices.

The student’s friend, though, went nuclear with the prejudice accusation, which feels like overkill. Both sides have valid points: the Redditor needs to learn effectively, but their method needs a serious overhaul.

Checking sites like RateMyProfessor for accent-related reviews or consulting the accessibility office could be game-changers.

Here’s what Redditors had to say:

Many claim that judging professors by last name is a flawed solution.

Many other users find OP’s solution understandable given learning needs, though choosing professors by name isn’t ideal.

A few users advise OP to use RateMyProfessor (as suggested) to check for accents to ensure better class comprehension.

Many people point out that accessibility services and better methods exist to address comprehension issues.

This Redditor’s class-picking story is a classic case of good intentions gone sideways.

Their hearing struggles are real, but judging professors by name alone is like picking a movie by its poster, it’s bound to miss the mark.

Was their friend’s harsh callout fair, or did it blow things out of proportion? How would you navigate this academic minefield with hearing challenges in tow? Share your hot takes below!