Monday marked the 20th anniversary of one of the world’s most horrific tragedies after World War II—the Rwandan Genocide.
Although it is my exceptional privilege to be on a scholarship that covers my cost of education here at UW-Madison, I often feel that this campus has cost me much more than the $26,000+ in tuition I would otherwise have to pay. Following my heart and pursuing my student community’s rights has literally cost me my health. I’ve witnessed students of color with beautiful dreams and intentions be bullied by malicious people at this institution and on multiple occasions be pushed to withdraw or drop out of this university.
It may come as no surprise to many that the United States has the highest incarceration rate in the world. Even more unsurprising to some might be the racial disparities in our prison system (black men are more likely to be sent to prison than white men in this country).
In my piece "White Privilege Continues To Plague American Progress," I outlined the systematic failures responsible for the racial injustices we see in our country today. I cultivated an opinion, but more importantly, I used facts to support my opinion. It is my firm belief that this is necessary when discussing issues as sensitive and complex as modern racial disparities. In last Monday’s opinion piece criticizing affirmative action—a piece where both of the writers, I would like to point out, have white privilege—there were a lot of close-minded thoughts expressed and zero substantial solutions offered to tackle the current problems of education inequality in this country.
The recently approved Regent Policy Document 14-6, “Discrimination, Harassment, and Retaliation,” raises troubling questions as UW-Madison formulates its new minority plan, “Forward Together: UW Madison’s Framework for Diversity and Exclusive Excellence.”
Last week, I attended a panel on campus. As a Teach For America alum and special education teacher in Madison, I’m always glad to see our community come together to talk about issues in education. This event in particular had an element of personal interest. Deemed the “TFA Truth Tour,” it aimed to stir up opposition to Teach For America – the non-profit education program through which I first found my way to the classroom five years ago last fall.
To the UW-Madison community,
TV commercials sure have taught me a lot about the everyday products I as a consumer take for granted. For instance, did you know that chewing gum brings you closer to your daughter? That wearing the right deodorant causes every woman you meet to wish they were your next sexual conquest? And great news about alcohol! Drinking beer automatically makes you the life of any party, while vodka turns you into a trendy urbanite who gets to go to nightclubs packed with beautiful people. Here I was, oblivious to the fact that the products I use all the time have been improving my personal life and correcting emotional flaws I would have thought could only be remedied by a good therapist. Needless to say, I owe the four corporations that make everything we buy these days a debt of gratitude for churning out such helpful products.
There are so many issues with the March 31 “Action Project: Affirmative action in higher ed reinforces racial discrimination” piece that it would take thousands of words to dissect every sentence and paragraph. Although I understand what the writers were attempting to say – that America needs to reform public K-12 education to level the playing field for all students – but dragging affirmative action into the conversation is both ignorant and far from the problem.
In a world where too many anti-affirmative action pieces begin with an out-of-context quote from a civil rights leader—specifically Martin Luther King, Jr., and even more specifically “I Have a Dream”—I stand: one of the 1,209 Black-identified students on this campus of 43,275 enrolled in the university. That’s 2.8 percent; even broader, there are 6,243 identified minorities total, accounting for 14.4 percent of the University of Wisconsin-Madison. I stand as the only person of color on the Cardinal’s Editorial Board, and one of the few minorities on the entire staff.
With the Badger men’s basketball team headed to the Final Four Saturday, we can’t help but gloat about how awesome it is to be a Badger. This is a time to join in the collective soul of the student body. While our time at college is only a stop on the gameboard, being a Badger is for “Life.” We’re super cheesy, we know. But hey, this is Wisconsin.
I recently asked a friend what she thinks will be the most useful language to know in the future. Her answer? A computer coding language. Although it wasn’t the answer I was looking for, it makes sense.
Moving from a traditional lecture hall setting to an online digital classroom is a phenomenon that those in higher education are consistently debating.
The tireless and honorable efforts of Doctor Martin Luther King Jr. to promote racial equality in the United States can be summed up with one of his most famous quotes: “I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.” This quote should summarize where we should be in the United States today regarding race; however, a policy meant to move us in Dr. King’s direction in fact hinders us. This policy is affirmative action in higher education.
Increasing job insecurity in an unstable economy makes getting a college degree a double-edged sword: the financial investment is a risk that may not pay off, but at the same time, without a degree there are few secure and potentially fulfilling career options.
Spencer Lindsay's opinion piece, "The Ethnic Studies Requirement Should Go" is both inaccurate and counter-productive to a goal of improving cultural competence, equity, and diversity at UW Madison.
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