[Bgs-list] Students arrested

Sat Apr 16 10:57:05 EDT 2016

As a faculty member at Clemson University I'll just add a few thoughts:

1. Many of the students that are protesting are excellent students. To
illustrate this let me share a story with you. For those that don't know, I
work as an assistant professor in the Comm department. On Thursday, the
morning after the first day of protests, when I walked into class, I asked
a fairly conservative and demanding white colleague in my area how
Rae-Nessha (one of the five that was arrested - was doing). His response
was that she was "an excellent student" who came to class today (he didn't
know that she had spent the night in Sikes building) and he wishes that he
had a class full of Rae-Nessha's.  DJ is simply one of the most impressive
young people that I have come across period. Any of you who know A.D.
Carson know that as a 2 time novelist, poet, and doctoral student, and MLK
Award recipient, the quality and influence of his academic achievement is
unequaled. These students are tremendous mentors and examples for other
students.

2. I was present as a non-participatory observer, for the much of the
protests. The protest leaders have consistently set aside study times
multiple times per day and announced to community members that they should
be studying while they were occupying. I was stunned on Wednesday night to
experience a full 2 hours of completely silent time In Sikes during the
occupation that they announced and enforced. The was a spirit of focus,
interdisciplinary collaboration, critical thinking and cultural literacy in
that environment that most formal learning contexts at Clemson have not
been able to produce. For any student. Watch the livestreams of the
student-facilitated public discussion about the demands and the university
response if you want to get a glimpse of that brilliance and why the
respectability approach is not sufficient.

3. I think that it's easy to underestimate the cumulative effect that the
combination of structural inequality at Clemson and these microaggressions
have on our students. I am guilty of this at times.

In fact, it is BECAUSE of the excellence of students like A.D., DJ and
others that we can see the broader problem for the community. A.D. (as well
as various professors of color) consistently receive offers elsewhere at
more progressive, diverse institutions. He doesn't have to be here and he
doesn't enjoy the environment her.

Are we to suggest that he should quietly endure Clemson's BS while not
pushing back? But if you lose him, or other faculty etc. you lose mentors
that can actually work with undergraduate students and help them be
excellent. Since Black folk are required to be superhuman.

So I respectfully submit that it feels deeply misguided and maybe a little
offensive to suggest that as a rule, these students should somehow submit
to this without putting any pressure on the structures and administration
at Clemson. The deep backwardness of Clemson's diversity efforts reveals
the absurdity of thinking that our performance will magically deliver us to
equality.

Our people have always exhibited the full range of performance from
struggling to consistent examples of excellence. Just like other folks.
And yet we are here.

Finally - I'm sharing the students response to the administration's first
"offer." I'm also attaching the BSU statement on the current climate at
Clemson.

http://seestripescu.org/?page_id=394

There's much more to say here but let it suffice to say I fully agree with
Bryant in light of these facts.

Thanks for considering my perspective.
Chenjerai
.

On Fri, Apr 15, 2016 at 2:07 PM, Bryant Smith <smithcan at mac.com> wrote:

> Ok I usually would let this last email slide but since it's my son and my
> desire to support him and his peers I am compelled to respond to this one.
> Why is it that it has to be either or as if students can't be scholars and
> activist? I think posing the questions about student success academically
> and the lack of it is similar to Ray Lewis asking why the Black Lives
> Matter movement is not focusing on Black on Black violence. They don't
> because that's not their mission. These students are protesting injustices
> because that's what they want to focus on. My son's academic life is fine.
> His contributions to Clemson are numerous. He does know about Dr. Thomas's
> research. However, even if he didn't know those things or perform well or
> contribute anything to the institution he pays tuition, has a contract with
> the University called a mission statement that says he is going to get
> those things that some people don't think are important but were promised
> in the contract. Above anything else he is a human being that deserves t be
> able to attend and study at a place that demonstrates respect to him. I
> stand by my earlier statement that I am proud of all of those students for
> taking a stand and hope that as BG.s we would be supportive without
> questioning their integrity, intellect, or responsibility to other areas
> and issues.
>
> Bryant K. Smith
> "Human Potential Specialist"
>
> On Apr 15, 2016, at 11:16 AM, Bobby Clark <carlc at clemson.edu> wrote:
>
> Well said.
> Bobby
>
> Sent from my iPhone
>
> On Apr 15, 2016, at 11:06 AM, Jordon Gilmore <jagilmo at g.clemson.edu>
> wrote:
>
> I may have a different opinion than most, but I think our primary
> objective should be to increase the capital of the black population at
> Clemson. The capital at a university is essentially academic in nature. So
> that means we need to be making good grades and contributing from a
> research standpoint. Are there injustices that need to be addressed?
> Certainly, and we should address them. But we make ourselves too easily
> dismissed when African Americans are the lowest performing demographic
> academically at the university (fact, from an undergrad perspective). Why
> can't we march to a study hall? How well attended were the MLK week events?
> How many students protesting even knew about the work of Dr. Thomas? The
> fact is, we can't only be a community and show solidarity when someone puts
> fruit on a sign. What should piss us off more? Fruit on a sign, or the fact
> that more than half of black males at Clemson have less than a 2.5 GPA
> after their first semester at Clemson. I mean, we live in South Carolina
> and we attend a university with a plantation house at the center of campus.
> Are we shocked by these bananas? We shouldn't be. We must develop our own
> strong community with a culture of excellence and accountability AS WELL AS
> stand up to injustice. Let the news cameras come to campus to see the
> excellent work we are doing. Not just to see if someone will get arrested.
>
> I don't know, just my two cents.
> On Apr 15, 2016 10:49 AM, "Abel Bartley" <abartly at clemson.edu> wrote:
>
>> I concur! We need more than monuments, and plaques. We need hard quotas.
>> Abel Bartley
>>
>> From: <bgs-list-bounces at mailhost.ces.clemson.edu> on behalf of "Carter,
>> Justin" <jcarter at swu.edu>
>> Date: Friday, April 15, 2016 at 9:40 AM
>> To: Bryant Smith <smithcan at mac.com>, "Curtis D White Sr." <
>> CDWHITE at clemson.edu>
>> Cc: "bgs-list at mailhost.ces.clemson.edu" <
>> bgs-list at mailhost.ces.clemson.edu>
>> Subject: Re: [Bgs-list] Students arrested
>>
>> I am very proud of the Clemson 5 and sticking to their beliefs. The
>> question though is where do students and faculty at Clemson go from here?
>>
>>
>>
>> In your grace,
>>
>> -JC-
>>
>>
>>
>> *Justin C. Carter, Ph.D.*
>> Associate Vice-President, Student Life
>> Southern Wesleyan University
>> 907 Wesleyan Drive | Central, SC  29630
>>
>> 864-644-5144 | 864-644-5901 (fax)
>> www.swu.edu
>>
>>
>>
>> <image001.jpg>
>> <http://www.facebook.com/southernwesleyanuniversity.central>
>> <image002.jpg> <http://www.twitter.com/SWU_edu>  <image003.jpg>
>> <http://www.linkedin.com/edu/school?id=19376>  <image004.jpg>
>> <http://instagram.com/swu_edu>
>>
>>
>>
>> *From:* bgs-list-bounces at mailhost.ces.clemson.edu [
>> mailto:bgs-list-bounces at mailhost.ces.clemson.edu
>> <bgs-list-bounces at mailhost.ces.clemson.edu>] *On Behalf Of *Bryant Smith
>> *Sent:* Thursday, April 14, 2016 6:26 PM
>> *To:* Curtis D White Sr.
>> *Cc:* bgs-list at mailhost.ces.clemson.edu; omega
>> *Subject:* Re: [Bgs-list] Students arrested
>>
>>
>>
>> The university has just arrested the 5 student protestors for not leaving
>> Sikes Hall including A.D. And my youngest son.
>>
>> Bryant K. Smith
>>
>> "Human Potential Specialist"
>>
>>
>> On Apr 14, 2016, at 5:12 PM, Curtis D White Sr. <CDWHITE at clemson.edu>
>> wrote:
>>
>> Stu have been told they will be arrested if they do not lv Sikes Hall by
>> 5:30. They need your presence & prayers
>>
>> C. D. White, Sr.
>>
>> Faculty Development & Diversity Coordinator
>>
>> Chief Diversity Office
>>
>> 218 Long Hall
>>
>> 864-656-2182😀
>>
>>
>> On Apr 14, 2016, at 11:59 AM, Curtis D White Sr. <CDWHITE at clemson.edu>
>> wrote:
>>
>> FYI
>> ------------------------------
>>
>> *From:* Altheia Richardson
>> *Sent:* Thursday, April 14, 2016 11:27 AM
>> *To:* Jerry Knighton; Curtis D White Sr.
>> *Subject:* Benardo's Brother
>>
>> Hey,
>>
>>
>>
>> I learned a few minutes ago that Benardo’s brother passed away suddenly
>> and he’s on his way to be with his family.  Just FYI in case you didn’t
>> already know.  Please pass this along to the BG’s group.
>>
>>
>>
>> *Altheia*
>>
>>
>>
>> Altheia Lesley Richardson
>>
>> The Harvey and Lucinda Gantt Multicultural Center
>>
>> Clemson University
>> 602 University Union
>> Box 344058
>> Clemson, SC  29634-4058
>> Phone: 864-656-7625
>> Fax: 864-656-1200
>> email:  lalthei at clemson.edu
>>
>>
>>
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