The president of Emory University has spoken to demonstrators who said they were frightened after someone wrote 'Trump 2016' in chalk around campus. Students at the Atlanta school, which has an enrollment of more than 14,000 claim their 'safe space' was violated when the messages appeared on sidewalks and buildings.
Jim Wagner, president of the Atlanta university, wrote Tuesday that the students viewed the messages as intimidation, and they voiced 'genuine concern and pain' as a result.
He acted after student government wrote to him and slammed the university's response, prompting a meeting that led to protests. Now administrators want to track down those responsible for the controversial markings. But some commentators on the university's student newspaper website told the students to grow up and accused them of being babies.
As a result student organizations offered counselling to anyone who may have been impacted by what they had seen. Emory on Wednesday provided The Associated Press with a copy of Wagner's letter, in which he said students confronted by Trump's name in chalk 'heard a message about values regarding diversity and respect that clash with Emory's own.' Emory's student newspaper, The Wheel, said Wagner outlined four steps that administrators plan to take in order to address the issues raised by the protesters who said they were in pain in a campus-wide email.
He proposed 'immediate refinements to certain policies and procedural deficiencies; regular and structured opportunities for difficult dialogues; a formal process to institutionalize identification, review and addressing of social justice opportunities and issues; and commitment to an annual retreat to renew [their] efforts.' Wagner added that the Freedom of Expression Committee is meeting to address whether the person or people responsible for the chalking were in compliance with Emory’s policy. He said that they would debate technical issues, such as whether or not the chalkings were done on an appropriate surface. However, he believes that the broader concern motivating the protests had to do more with the ideas the chalkings stood for than how they were done.
The Wheel also reported that the students this week chanted, 'You are not listening! Come speak to us, we are in pain!' shortly before Wagner agreed to meet with them. Their editor, Zak Hudak, posted an editorial addressing what had happened.
He wrote: I do not take lightly the fears and pains of those students who felt victimized by the 'Trump 2016' chalkings around campus, and I try my best to support oppressed groups on campus.
Campaigning for Trump is a sign of oppression now? Parents are paying for nursery schools instead of institutions teaching critical thinking! TM
******* “We cannot continue to allow ourselves to be influenced and molded by the political class and by the media. That is going to destroy us," he said, remarking that it's "kind of sad" that the press is the only business protected by the Constitution "because they were supposed to be the allies of the people." Dr. Ben Carson
Quote: truthkeeper wrote in post #2In a big hurry today so no time to read, but saw the story this morning.
Did the article discuss the emergency personnel brought in to deal with the traumatized?
And that security camera videos were being reviewed in an effort to catch the dastardly perp?
I'm with Dennis Miller...the country HAS gone mad.
Yeah the article is very thorough, covering all aspects of the "offense".
Safe Space University
This is what a college degree means anymore...
******* “We cannot continue to allow ourselves to be influenced and molded by the political class and by the media. That is going to destroy us," he said, remarking that it's "kind of sad" that the press is the only business protected by the Constitution "because they were supposed to be the allies of the people." Dr. Ben Carson
Am I the only one who cares? Later today I am going to send the Prez of Emory a message offering to start a fund dedicated to purchasing his students (and him) some teddy bears, blankies, and pacifiers so they can overcome the trauma and hurt.
Cruz2016! But right friendly to Trump supporters, anyway.
Quote: Cincinnatus wrote in post #4Am I the only one who cares? Later today I am going to send the Prez of Emory a message offering to start a fund dedicated to purchasing his students (and him) some teddy bears, blankies, and pacifiers so they can overcome the trauma and hurt.
You've shamed into ti. I'll kick in for hot chocolate and M&M's t
Illegitimi non Carborundum
During times of universal deceit, telling the truth becomes a revolutionary act.
Quote: Cincinnatus wrote in post #4Am I the only one who cares? Later today I am going to send the Prez of Emory a message offering to start a fund dedicated to purchasing his students (and him) some teddy bears, blankies, and pacifiers so they can overcome the trauma and hurt.
You've shamed into ti. I'll kick in for hot chocolate and M&M's t