In 2021, schools and universities nationwide took turns claiming that everything (and we mean everything) is racist in one way or another. There were multiple instances of segregation making a comeback as well—which just doesn’t seem very progressive. We counted down some of the most heinous instances of this racist theory.
South Puget Sound Community College claimed that standard English upholds “white supremacy” in a statement sent to students. The writing center at the college informed students that “Standard American English … masquerades as neutral and objective but in fact marginalizes other ways of communicating, often those used by people of color” in the statement. The center added that “there are no inherently correct or superior forms of spoken or written English.” When questioned on the bizarre statement, a representative for the school defended and upheld the sentiments expressed.
Farmington Public Schools in Michigan encouraged students, teachers, and families to take part in a “21 Day Equity Challenge” wherein they urged participants to campaign and vote for candidates fighting “racial injustice,” to join protests sponsored by Black Lives Matter, and to donate money to bail arrested rioters out of jail. If that weren’t enough, the activity also told students that the ideas “America is a land of opportunity,” or “I believe the most qualified person should get the job” are “microaggressions.”
Following the verdict in Derek Chauvin’s trial for the killing of George Floyd, the University of North Carolina hosted multiple “healing spaces.” Two of the events advertised by the school were a “Black and African American Healing Space” and “racial trauma yoga.” The school held a similar healing space for “Trans, Non-Binary, & Gender Non-Conforming” students to cope with “anti-trans” legislation.
YAF obtained documents through a FOIA request revealing an expensive anti-racism workshop held by the University of Kentucky. The event was hosted by a company belonging to a professor at the university and cost $5,000 after a discount. It was later revealed that the same professor charges white people more for her services. During the workshop, faculty members were asked to fill out worksheets regarding their own racism. Mary Davis, Dean of the UK J. David Rosenberg College of Law, wrote that she has begun to “force myself to accept white inferiority,” and that it has been “really hard.”
The Virginia Department of Education hosted a webinar in which the speaker told educators 9/11 is “not about memorializing how many lives were lost.” According to VDOE, revisiting these deaths is “harmful and damaging.” VDOE further told teachers to prioritize the “social, emotional needs of Muslim students” ahead of the anniversary of the attacks. During the presentation, educators were also warned against the teaching of American exceptionalism.
Texas Tech segregated students based on race during an “anti-racism” training. According to information obtained by YAF through FOIA request, an administrator suggested segregation in order to “offer a comfortable and safe environment for groups to discuss racial traumas undisturbed.” After YAF’s exposé revealing racial segregation at the university, Texas Tech announced they were discontinuing the program.
A community college in California “adopted a policy to require all interviews for admin and staff to require an antiracist question pre-interview to assess new applicants’ dedication to antiracism,” according to Palomar Community College. The faculty also created a video featured on the school’s homepage in which they declare the need for anti-racism. One professor claimed that America “is a country that was founded on racism.”
YAF is exposing this racist ideology wherever it exists and will continue to use media and legal tools to fight back. We are especially thankful to our YAF activists who are on the frontlines fighting the emergence of this despicable racism.
