For the past few weeks, Virginia Tech has had a storm of stories about different social issues plaguing our campus. From changing the names of buildings (because why leave confederate affiliates plastered across a campus that’s “inclusive”), to the new logo and color palette that has upset the majority of the campus who sees inventing the future as a part of their identity.
This past week a few articles were circulating about a GTA in the English department who had been accused (not all posts could be specifically linked to him) of posting anti-semitic and racial slurs/insults openly on his facebook page. He has since changed his name so you can’t see his page, but as of Monday he had posted the number and picture of a female student along with a caption instructing people to “destroy her.”
This post comes after the protest at the State of the University address that President Sands gave on September 29th. The protest was sparked by a lack of action from not only the English department, but the majority of the administration and President Sands himself. In response, Sands told the students that it was not the time nor place; but seeing as though he has done everything to ignore this issue, it was the perfect time and place.
From what I have learned, this issue was raised almost a year ago, and it has been ignored by this university, the VT and Blacksburg police to the point where a student has now been threatened. This is a supposed to be a safe, inclusive university but it is completely contradictory to have a racially and religiously insensitive individual working with students, who more than likely align themselves with diverse groups, that he so vocally dislikes and does not think belongs in this country, let alone the university.
There were subsequent protests today (10-6-17) with one being broken up as it was in front of his classroom; and most people had been told we risked suspensions if we showed up there, so a secondary location was arranged. A few hours later President Sands sent out a “special statement” that was no more than a public decree that he was not at liberty to help the groups of students who now feel threatened and unwelcome on this campus. Yes, freedom of speech is a right but when you cross the line of putting someone in danger and inciting people to harass her, then you have no right to be teaching on this campus.
This is our time to speak up and be heard. President Sands and the English Department need to deal with this issue now, and they need to be transparent about their actions. They have allowed a racist, sexist, and religious zealot to teach on this campus after knowing for at least a year what his views were. We have a right to feel safe on our own campus and to not feel threatened or unwelcome by the people who are supposed to be teaching us simply because of the color of our skin, our sexuality, our gender, or our religion.