Amidst, the COVID-19 pandemic, climate crisis, political polarization, and the racial justice movement, we as students feel the constant strains of society. As a voice for the student body and our community, we feel compelled to report the honest truth whenever we have the opportunity to do so. No amount of backlash, controversy, or difference in opinion will stop us from seeking the truth.
Here’s the truth.
There have been repeated occurrences of racially unjust incidents on this campus that are constantly pushed under the rug by the administration. It is about time we shed light on what’s been hidden in the dark. Incident after incident, we find ourselves questioning the people who teach us and lead us throughout this chapter of our lives, our own professors.
On the first day of the Fall semester, a professor used a racial epithet in class. There was a lack of advocacy shown by professors, and many excuses were made to defend his racist behavior. As journalists, we were told not to report on this incident.
Again, on Friday, Oct. 16, the same racial epithet was used in class by another professor, also in the context of “education.” Five days following this incident, it has yet to be addressed to the student body. (Re: ‘It’s too much pain,’ p.2)
As students, we find ourselves holding our breath for faculty and staff to advocate against these incidents. Why aren’t more professors standing up? We rely on professors to teach us, to guide us. We should also be able to rely on them to advocate for us when we feel like we aren’t in the position to do so.
However, with the recent and perpetual incidents, our fellow classmates, friends, and teammates are being neglected both at a personal level and educational level.
We want racism called out, we want faculty required to attend mandatory training, we want trust restored.
Students are waiting to find out… what will happen next? Will we contin- ue to receive censored emails that are buried in our inboxes? Will we see a difference made by the administration? Will professors speak up? If you are a professor reading this, what will you do to ease the burden of your students?
We will take a stand to report the truth, but will you take a stand to defend it?