The editors of St. Joseph’s University student paper dedicated part of a recent editorial to excoriating students who did not attend any of the “diversity/equity/inclusion” workshops on the school’s annual “Day of Dialogue.”
The university dedicated all of February 16 to various seminars related to DEI topics such as “allyship, intersectionality and advocacy.” According to The Hawk editors, faculty and staff (along with some students) worked tirelessly to make th[e] day happen.”
Nevertheless, “many students still did not take advantage of the educational opportunities […] offered,” the editors write. “The students who decided not to participate failed to recognize the importance of conversations related to diversity, equity and inclusion.”
The Day of Dialogue “was treated as a day off,” the editors continue, and its importance “disregarded.”
We, as an institution, have so much work to do. We all have blindspots and need to better educate ourselves about the different facets of racism and prejudice. DOD provides a platform to learn more about a multitude of issues, such as racism, homophobia, classism, ableism and xenophobia. Those who ignore these discussions are also ignoring the diversity and intersectionality of their peers.
Our St. Joe’s community should want to go to these events. We should want to make our institution an actively anti-racist and an overall safer place; not to get praise, not because of extra credit, but because we actually want to learn.
Notwithstanding the palpable DEI zeal from those at The Hawk, one might surmise they’d have figured out the student body might be a bit weary of university-fed DEI measures. After all, when St. Joe’s made a required diversity course optional late last year, enrollment dropped precipitously.
A paltry four of this spring semester’s “Inequality in American Society” sections were full as of late December, and almost half of the total 26 available had 50% or more seats available. The Hawk’s oxymoronic headline on the situation: “Successful inequality course faces low enrollment.”
One of the biggest advocates for the course, Professor Brian Yates, had blamed several racist campus incidents on then-President Trump.
MORE: The Hawk claims prof’s recorded anti-Trump rant was ‘heavily edited’
MORE: The Hawk: Four total ‘racial bias’ incidents since January reflects nationwide ‘uptick’
IMAGE: The Hawk screencap
Please join the conversation about our stories on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Reddit, MeWe, Rumble, Gab, Minds and Gettr.