What Should A Black Law Professor Do When A White Student Wears A MAGA Hat In Class?

[boedicca]

A healthy adult professor would ignore it.

Just sayin'.

That's what he did.

No, he didn't. He wrote an absolutely clueless whingefest on the interwebs.

Uh yes, he did. Read it.

I did read it. It is a glaring example of extreme lack of self-awareness combined with spiteful self-pity.

Obviously you didn't, or you wouldn't have posted what you just did.

Here's your "extreme lack of self-awareness":

>> I was in the first year of a two-year fellowship as a visiting assistant professor of law. Moreover, as an African-American male, I was one of an exceedingly small number of students, faculty and staff of color in the law school. From my (progressive) perspective as a black man living in the increasingly polarized political climate that is America, MAGA is an undeniable symbol of white supremacy and hatred toward certain nonwhite groups.

... Thus, in that moment, I was unsure whether the student was directing a hateful message toward me or if he merely lacked decorum and was oblivious to how his hat might be interpreted by his black law professor. I presumed it was the former. ... Being a law professor, I understand the complexities of academic freedom and free speech. I respect students’ rights to freely express their political beliefs and values within the framework of the law. Yet, at the same time, law schools are inherently institutions of professional training. Just as faculty and staff are required to maintain professional formalities to aid the training and matriculation of their students, it seems only logical that students, too, should maintain similar businesslike etiquette.

But when students fail to live up to such professional expectations, what are the professors’ options? Although my position is at a private university, I understood that my lack of tenure, precarious status as a VAP and the hue of my skin meant that I would be fighting an uphill battle should I have asked the student to remove his distracting red hat during class. Surely, there must be protocol when African-American professors—whose presence is scarce in most law schools—find their authority defiantly undermined by an insensitive student.

... With this scholarship in mind, I understood why no one else in this particular class—in which whites outnumbered students of color 20 to three (with me, the instructor, being the lone African American)—seemed as vexed as I was. Indeed, in a class with such racial uniformity, it appeared frivolous to rely on students to speak up on my behalf, as one of my associates suggested. An informal survey of my colleagues revealed that no other law faculty had experienced any students wearing such propaganda in their classes, which furthered my contention that this student was indeed trying to intimidate and/or racially antagonize me.

But how can this type of racial antagonism be reconciled with the increasingly present discourse of “diversity and inclusion” within higher education? Several of my colleagues took an intellectual approach when answering this question. For instance, some suggested that I remain professional, which to them meant ignoring the student and not bringing attention to his hat.

Others suggested the academic convention of writing my reflections on the incident. And some colleagues offered academic articles on topics such as implicit bias and perceptual segregation.

...As scholars of color, maintaining an everyday existence without the constant reminder that we are “othered” within the American academic hierarchy is fundamental to our professional well-being and to the corresponding welfare and status of our institutions. Moreover, normalizing such controversial political attire in the classroom likely does little to improve the diversity and inclusion that these institutions supposedly seek.

In times of such heightened political disparity, decision makers in institutions of higher education should weigh the benefits of exclusionary, in-class political speech against the divisive burdens such speech places on students, staff and faculty. <<​

The whole fucking thing is about self-awareness. Don't lie. You didn't read it at all.

No, the whole fucking thing is about his chapped mangina.

 

[Wyatt earp]

People change?

Unless they're named "Robert Byrd"?

Whatever works, right.

That's your problem not mine

Actually no, it isn't. Pointing out somebody's fallacy is the pointee's problem.
Captain Obvious rides again.

Not the one taking down monuments am I?

See? There's an example right there. You can't pursue the point so you change the subject altogether.

That'll be five cents. I'll put it on your tab.

You owe me 80 grand to pay for your lousy driving record..


Now back to the topic, please..

 

[Pogo]

Unless they're named "Robert Byrd"?

Whatever works, right.

That's your problem not mine

Actually no, it isn't. Pointing out somebody's fallacy is the pointee's problem.
Captain Obvious rides again.

Not the one taking down monuments am I?

See? There's an example right there. You can't pursue the point so you change the subject altogether.

That'll be five cents. I'll put it on your tab.

You owe me 80 grand to pay for your lousy driving record..


Now back to the topic, please..

I have a sterling driving record, over a million miles. You owe me another nickel.

It adds up.

 

[ph3iron]

Act like an adult?
Ignore it?
Look at the brunette in the 2nd row?

No, get irate and start ranting about your racism as if it’s a good thing.

The Left are so easily triggered in their mental illness.

Seeing Red: A professor coexists with 'MAGA' in the classroom

Educate him on where MAGA CAME FROM?
our WWII Nazi group name.
Amazing how many people don't know this

 

[ph3iron]

Why do we assume a Black professor would be at odds with the phrase "make America great again"?

Because it was our WWII Nazi group name?

 

[Pogo]

That's what he did.

No, he didn't. He wrote an absolutely clueless whingefest on the interwebs.

Uh yes, he did. Read it.

I did read it. It is a glaring example of extreme lack of self-awareness combined with spiteful self-pity.

Obviously you didn't, or you wouldn't have posted what you just did.

Here's your "extreme lack of self-awareness":

>> I was in the first year of a two-year fellowship as a visiting assistant professor of law. Moreover, as an African-American male, I was one of an exceedingly small number of students, faculty and staff of color in the law school. From my (progressive) perspective as a black man living in the increasingly polarized political climate that is America, MAGA is an undeniable symbol of white supremacy and hatred toward certain nonwhite groups.

... Thus, in that moment, I was unsure whether the student was directing a hateful message toward me or if he merely lacked decorum and was oblivious to how his hat might be interpreted by his black law professor. I presumed it was the former. ... Being a law professor, I understand the complexities of academic freedom and free speech. I respect students’ rights to freely express their political beliefs and values within the framework of the law. Yet, at the same time, law schools are inherently institutions of professional training. Just as faculty and staff are required to maintain professional formalities to aid the training and matriculation of their students, it seems only logical that students, too, should maintain similar businesslike etiquette.

But when students fail to live up to such professional expectations, what are the professors’ options? Although my position is at a private university, I understood that my lack of tenure, precarious status as a VAP and the hue of my skin meant that I would be fighting an uphill battle should I have asked the student to remove his distracting red hat during class. Surely, there must be protocol when African-American professors—whose presence is scarce in most law schools—find their authority defiantly undermined by an insensitive student.

... With this scholarship in mind, I understood why no one else in this particular class—in which whites outnumbered students of color 20 to three (with me, the instructor, being the lone African American)—seemed as vexed as I was. Indeed, in a class with such racial uniformity, it appeared frivolous to rely on students to speak up on my behalf, as one of my associates suggested. An informal survey of my colleagues revealed that no other law faculty had experienced any students wearing such propaganda in their classes, which furthered my contention that this student was indeed trying to intimidate and/or racially antagonize me.

But how can this type of racial antagonism be reconciled with the increasingly present discourse of “diversity and inclusion” within higher education? Several of my colleagues took an intellectual approach when answering this question. For instance, some suggested that I remain professional, which to them meant ignoring the student and not bringing attention to his hat.

Others suggested the academic convention of writing my reflections on the incident. And some colleagues offered academic articles on topics such as implicit bias and perceptual segregation.

...As scholars of color, maintaining an everyday existence without the constant reminder that we are “othered” within the American academic hierarchy is fundamental to our professional well-being and to the corresponding welfare and status of our institutions. Moreover, normalizing such controversial political attire in the classroom likely does little to improve the diversity and inclusion that these institutions supposedly seek.

In times of such heightened political disparity, decision makers in institutions of higher education should weigh the benefits of exclusionary, in-class political speech against the divisive burdens such speech places on students, staff and faculty. <<​

The whole fucking thing is about self-awareness. Don't lie. You didn't read it at all.

No, the whole fucking thing is about his chapped mangina.

I don't even know what that is but I'll look for it on the appetizer list next time I go to an Italian restaurant.

Meanwhile I posted, verbatim, the part that directly contradicts what you tried to get away with. About 70% of the whole article. That's not going to go away. You've been exposed.

 

[Wyatt earp]

That's your problem not mine

Actually no, it isn't. Pointing out somebody's fallacy is the pointee's problem.
Captain Obvious rides again.

Not the one taking down monuments am I?

See? There's an example right there. You can't pursue the point so you change the subject altogether.

That'll be five cents. I'll put it on your tab.

You owe me 80 grand to pay for your lousy driving record..


Now back to the topic, please..

I have a sterling driving record, over a million miles. You owe me another nickel.

It adds up.

I heard a warrant is out.

 

[ph3iron]

No end to the white supremist links

No worse than screwing up super-gluing yourself to a door... Is it just me or are the idiots on the left imploding?

Climate Extremists Offering Lessons to Activists on How to Use Super Glue

Act like an adult?
Ignore it?
Look at the brunette in the 2nd row?

No, get irate and start ranting about your racism as if it’s a good thing.

The Left are so easily triggered in their mental illness.

Seeing Red: A professor coexists with 'MAGA' in the classroom

Nothing like a made up small mid zero college guy who quotes both sides

 

[Wyatt earp]

Actually no, it isn't. Pointing out somebody's fallacy is the pointee's problem.
Captain Obvious rides again.

Not the one taking down monuments am I?

See? There's an example right there. You can't pursue the point so you change the subject altogether.

That'll be five cents. I'll put it on your tab.

You owe me 80 grand to pay for your lousy driving record..


Now back to the topic, please..

I have a sterling driving record, over a million miles. You owe me another nickel.

It adds up.

I heard a warrant is out.

Starbucks cops or something

 

[Billiejeens]

To my POV, it would similar to a student coming to my class with a swastika hat. Not quite that level, but close.
Thankfully living in Thailand for over 10 years, I have not yet seen one person American or otherwise wearing that vile hat of hate.
But I have seen plenty of Russians wearing clothing glorifying their dictator (and good buddy of trumpy-poo) and also lots of explicit Hitler Nazi stuff too but mostly on Thais that don't understand the political meaning and think it looks cool.

You sound like an idiot.

 

[RealDave]

Trump only became a racist after he decided to run against hilary...up till then Oprah, Letterman, all the black rappers, and the hollywood elite loved him........

the democrat party is the home of racism...through and through, in the past, in the present and with the way it is going, into the future....

An Oral History of Trump’s Bigotry

1966?

So. I was reponding to another of your buddy Trumpettes who claimed no one said Trump was racist before the ran for office. It is well documented.

People change?

Unless they're named "Robert Byrd"?

Whatever works, right.

Robert Byrd was a racist. Never said he as not.

He did try hard to overcome it in his later years in the Senate.

So, is this an excuse for Trump or something?

I never voted for Byrd.

 

[Pogo]

An Oral History of Trump’s Bigotry

1966?

So. I was reponding to another of your buddy Trumpettes who claimed no one said Trump was racist before the ran for office. It is well documented.

People change?

Unless they're named "Robert Byrd"?

Whatever works, right.

Robert Byrd was a racist. Never said he as not.

He did try hard to overcome it in his later years in the Senate.

So, is this an excuse for Trump or something?

I never voted for Byrd.

You've got to read the context. Wasn't even talking to you. Perhaps you have Bear on ignore (which is understandable).

He wrote "People change?" Then I fired back, "unless they're named Robert Byrd?". Get it? An allusion to the hacks posting photoshops of an octogenarian Byrd in a Klan robe, even though he quit that shit before he ever ran for office. An allusion to that sort of dishonest Double Standard. In other words, either "people change", or they don't.

 

[RoshawnMarkwees]

My suggestion to the black law professor is to stop being black.

 

[HereWeGoAgain]

I'm offended by the thing in his nose. I thought only low class women do that!

Thats a reminder of his slave days.....it made it easier for his master to control him.

 

[Superbadbrutha]

Stupid is as stupid does, stupid ass

Yeah, you is stupid because you does such stupid stuff.

I'm dealing with stupid.

 

[WEATHER53]

Act like he is not so emotionally fragile and unaccomplished for it to make a difference

 

[miketx]

What would a MAGA hat-wearer even be doing in an institution of higher learning?

Gotcha.

Maybe he was doing him some higher learning?

Must be a football player.

I hope so, then he can get a big pro paycheck and donate lots of cash to Trump.

 

[skookerasbil]

The only thing that matters is most Americans ( by far ) would think the black professor an asshole.

 

[Eric Arthur Blair]

I'm dealing with stupid.

Not as much as I am.

 

[Pogo]

The only thing that matters is most Americans ( by far ) would think the black professor an asshole.

And why is that? For not acting on it?

Lemme guess. You didn't read the article either. Or as we generally call it, "Tuesday".