| This week at the Claremont Colleges has been an emotional one. Articles and tumblr posts surrounding the lack of inclusivity, diversity, and safety for students of color at the 5Cs have been circulating widely: See this one by Lisette Espinosa about "who is the happiest at the 'happiest college'" ; this one by Taylor Lemmons about the race problem at CMC; and this one by Casey Garcelon about the racial climate at CMC and cultural appropriative actions of students on Halloween that reflect a larger issue on these college campuses. The response to these brave voices has been varied. While many students have rallied in support (a wonderful and hopeful thing to see), I can't help but be devastated by the "dissenting" voices on campus. Namely, the editorial staff of the Claremont Independent, an "independent journal of campus affairs and political thought serving the colleges of the Claremont Consortium", has published an opposing article to the voices and protests this week. There are endless microaggressions to be pointed out in this piece: the un-acknowledgement of the voices and experiences of students of color on the 5Cs, the siding with CMC Dean Spellman and her ignorant comments, the denial of the importance of diverse voices in academia. For me, this line sums it up → |  "If you want to take a class in 'ethnic, racial, and sexuality theory,' feel free to take one, but don’t force such an ideologically driven course on all CMC students. If the dearth of such courses at CMC bothers you, maybe you should have chosen a different school." |
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