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Controversy Surrounding Mandatory Video at Davidson College
Davidson College, situated in North Carolina, has recently come under scrutiny from its alumni following the news that student-athletes were compelled to view a video titled “I’m Not Racist … Am I?” The video, according to Davidsonians for Freedom of Thought and Discourse, an alumni-led organization advocating for free speech, labels all white individuals as racists.
The organization expressed its disapproval after discovering that the institution had made it mandatory for student-athletes to watch the controversial film. One of the key points highlighted by the organization was the portrayal of all white people as inherently racist, while suggesting that people of color cannot exhibit racist behaviors. This depiction was found to be offensive, divisive, and insulting by the students who were subjected to it.
Furthermore, the organization revealed that the film was shown to students on a Sunday afternoon instead of during regular school hours. This decision by the athletic department led to disappointment among the students, who were required to participate in the event for over three hours on a weekend.
Concerns Raised by Alumni
A petition on Change.org was initiated by the group to address these issues. The petition highlights the presence of controversial “anti-oppression” elements in various course syllabi at Davidson College, including unrelated subjects such as Spanish, calculus, and biology. Moreover, it addresses the mandatory viewing of the contentious film by scholar-athletes, calling for the institution to adopt policies that uphold academic freedom and protect student rights.
The undersigned individuals urge Davidson College to establish guidelines that prevent faculty from introducing unrelated controversial topics into their teaching. Additionally, they advocate for policies that restrict the imposition of political or ideological events on students, unless they are an integral part of their education.
The petition also requests President Hicks to address these concerns with relevant committees and bodies within the college to formulate and implement the proposed policies.
Academic Trends at Davidson College
Notably, in 2021, The Gateway Pundit reported on Davidson College’s offering of courses centered around Marxist “black political and feminist theories.” These courses aim to equip students with the knowledge required for activism aimed at abolishing law enforcement entities, under hashtags such as “#Abolishthepolice” and “Abolishing Prisons and the Police.”
One such course, labeled “critical black studies,” delves into the disproportionate targeting of non-white and LGBT individuals by law enforcement. The curriculum emphasizes using radical social and political philosophies to denounce policing practices, including what is defined as “police militarization.”
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