Not so higher education

In many institutions of higher education (community colleges, colleges, universities, private and public), deliberate separatism (read segregation) of the races is actively and aggressively pursued.  Under the cloak of a specialized lexicon, deliberate separation of the races is sought and permitted.  "Diversity," "social justice," and "equity" are simply code words for this new and intentional form of segregation.  Actions that should be condemned are actually being instigated by those supposedly in positions to know better.  A particularly startling example recently occurred in the Pacific Northwest.

According to Seattle's King 5 Television, "A group of employees at South Puget Sound Community College sent out an invitation to all 300 staffers.  The "Staff, Faculty and Administrators of Color" encouraged employees to reply to the invitation to find out the confidential date and time of what was being called a "happy hour" to "build support and community" for people of color.  The invite made it clear white people were not invited.  The email read: "If you want to create space for white folks to meet and work on racism, white supremacy, and white privilege to better our campus community and yourselves, please feel free to do just that.""

Apart from the obvious hypocrisy, the damning aspect of this and other examples is the pursuit of the exact opposite of a goal of the civil rights movement: integration.  Through integration, we were to move forward as a nation and a people by recognizing one another for individual achievement and character, rather than color.  This self-apparent truth became the foundation upon which change was built.

As this foundation was built, exclusionary practices were rightfully attacked.  All white private clubs, whites only neighborhoods, whites only hiring practices, and other manifestations of segregation were dismantled, one-by-one.  In education, the movement began in earnest after the Supreme Court ruling in Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka that "separate but equal" public schooling violated the Constitution.  This history is why action of the type attributed to "Staff, Faculty and Administrators of Color" at South Puget Sound Community College is so galling.

On our campuses of so-called higher education, it appears some want, maybe demand to return to days of segregation.  Segregation that is beneficial, as they choose to define it.  Student organizations that specifically exclude people by race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, religious beliefs, and political leanings are far, far too common on today's campuses.  Similarly, campus housing exclusionary practices are also permitted, if not enthusiastically embraced.

Where not actively pursuing segregation, other initiatives seek to provide race-based preferences, which are also contrary to the intent of integration.  For example, anonymous Dartmouth students threatened physical action if their 100 demands providing, among other requirements, racial and ethnic quotas.  In another example, the Sacramento Bee reported, "Democrats in the California Senate used their two-thirds supermajority Thursday to pass a measure that would ask voters if they want to repeal the state's ban [Proposition 209] on race- and gender-based preferences in government hiring and contracting and university admissions."  In other words, what was seen as vile and illegal in the past, reason to march in the streets, is now being actively advocated.  The only difference is which groups are being permitted to exclude others and to be given preference.

The actions of new found segregation and racial/ethnic quotas on our campuses are as repugnant today as they were 50 years ago.

This is not higher education by any measure.

Read more here: http://blogs.sacbee.com/capitolalertlatest/2014/01/senate-passes-measure-asking-voters-to-repeal-prop-209.html#storylink=cpy