Friday, June 12, 2009

When White Campuses Stand by Black Professors

by Dr. Boyce Watkins

I got a call from an academic colleague who was caught in the middle of a public controversy. He stated an unpopular opinion on race and the right wing got upset with his words. Public figures have been calling for him to be fired, stating that his position as a defender of black people makes him a “reverse racist.” How typical.

He told me that this morning, he received a call from the President of his university, letting him know that the campus stands by his academic freedom and freedom of speech. The president also admitted that this is “what right wing nut jobs do when they are confronted with race.”

I was admittedly jealous of my friend’s relationship with the president of his university. In the 5 years I’ve known the president of Syracuse University, Nancy Cantor, not once has she had a single conversation with me over the phone or in person.

Click here to read the rest of the article on the Black Scholar’s Blog.

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