As much as people want to color this as some sort of disciplined act of dissent it remains nothing less than an immature display of the self-centered left.

DA, next time you are in conversation with someone and you disagree with them turn your back and stand silent. I will guarantee it will be taken as an insult.

Of course, the situation you are describing is not at all the same. The audience and Schlafly were not in conversation. In a conversation, you can make clear your dissent as a part of the conversation.

"If you recognize someone I don't like/agree with, I'll hold my breath until I turn blue. I'll show you."
SNAGS - Sensitive New-Age Geeks.

Note that I'm not necessarily defending the protesters here. I just think there is some blindness to the fundamental fact that ultimately, most of the university seemed to go along with it.

Not on your life - to those in academe, it's all about who and what is being protested - it's not the validity of the protest, nor the passion of the protester. In their minds, only some concepts and people are allowed to be protested - others have absolute moral authority, and can demean those to whom they speak with little or no admonition.

What's remotely respectful about this? They're creating a spectacle to embarrass an invited, honored guest of the school.

I fail to see how the protest was disrespectful in the least. It was silent and calm. No one was kept from listening to her. Indeed, the protesters themselves listened to her, just with their backs turned. I disagree that they were doing anything to try to embarrass Schlafly; I think it's quite curious if you are equating dissent with embarrassment.

Schlafly is undeniably accomplished but it was quite predictable that this presentation would generate widespread opposition. She was on the losing side of a long, divisive cultural battle

She was on the losing side? I wasn't aware that war was over yet. As for the battles, did the ERA get passed and nobody told me?

What's remotely respectful about this? They're creating a spectacle to embarrass an invited, honored guest of the school.

Yes, and therein lies several points.

1: It's not that you hate, but what, and whom, that annoys the left.
2: If this treatment were applied to AlGore, they'd be having public fits and dragging the media into wall to wall mode over it.
3: Controversial standpoints, supposedly were welcomed by the schools. We now see that controversy is only allowed if it's in pursuit of leftist policy.

I think it's sad to see that conservatives view students and faculty calmy, quietly registering disapproval as somehow being beyond the pale.

Not at all. It's just that there's a time, place, and manner in which to do these things. A rally before the ceremony would have been appropriate.

I would say that the description of the protest makes it sound like it was done quite respectfully, as in "I respectfully disagree." What about that is even vaguely childish?

What's remotely respectful about this? They're creating a spectacle to embarrass an invited, honored guest of the school.

Adults are put into positions where they have to listen to people with whom they agree all the time. Adults don't turn their backs and make a big scene every time that happens.

I thought dissenting from the standard point of view was a courageous thing to do? I thought respect for opposing ideas was a sign of political maturity? How can they ask for the students to show respect in the classroom if they won't show during a public ceremony?

It's scary to think my son will be more of an adult than those who teach him when he goes off to college.

The excerpt suggests that most faculty and most students did not take part.