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Commencements Show the UNC System’s Struggles with Political Neutrality
James G. Martin Center for Academic Renewal ^ | May 17, 2019 | Magdalene Horzempa

Posted on 05/27/2019 6:28:46 AM PDT by reaganaut1

In 2017, the North Carolina legislature passed House Bill 527 (now State Law 2017-196) to foster open inquiry in the state’s public colleges and universities. One of the provisions ordered the University of North Carolina system Board of Governors to produce an annual report on two categories of intellectual freedom: free speech and institutional neutrality.

The law states that colleges should aspire to “institutional neutrality,” where schools do not take a stance on a political issue, so that students and staff don’t feel pressured to share the views of the political majority on campus.

However, during the political science commencement ceremony at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, I saw institutional neutrality fail. The last official event graduating students would attend with Chapel Hill was suffused with politics rather than reflections on knowledge and truth.

This year, the political science department at UNC-Chapel Hill chose Gina Collias, a conservative-turned-liberal North Carolina politician running for Congress in the 10th District, to give the commencement speech—which she used as a platform to campaign for Congress and praise liberal students.

Collias began her speech by correcting an error in the commencement program, clarifying that she was no longer a Republican. During her speech, Collias spoke about her time at UNC-Chapel Hill, but she also brought up abortion. With states like Alabama recently passing abortion restrictions and other states like Vermont protecting their citizens’ right to abortion, mentioning abortion positively was a way for Collias to flush out the audience’s partisan leanings.

When she received a positive reaction from the crowd, Collias then told a story about correcting her white privilege and urged members of the audience to do the same. Collias spoke about being at an African American church when she was young and didn’t know who Martin Luther King Jr.

(Excerpt) Read more at jamesgmartin.center ...


TOPICS: Education; Politics
KEYWORDS: college; unc

1 posted on 05/27/2019 6:28:47 AM PDT by reaganaut1
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To: reaganaut1
When she received a positive reaction from the crowd, Collias then told a story about correcting her white privilege and urged members of the audience to do the same. Collias spoke about being at an African American church when she was young and didn’t know who Martin Luther King Jr. was. She said the congregation was shocked and that she “should have known who this figure was.” She cited where she grew up and blamed white privilege for her ignorance to highlight how easy it is for white people to be unaware of the issues of others.

This isn't white privilege....it's an indictment of a poor education system.

2 posted on 05/27/2019 6:33:18 AM PDT by ealgeone
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To: reaganaut1

‘White Privilege’ — what an idiot. Check your stupidity.


3 posted on 05/27/2019 6:36:37 AM PDT by Still Thinking (Freedom is NOT a loophole!)
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To: reaganaut1

“Political Science” is one of the major oxymorons of our time.

Appears the “speakers” get the weekly “dumbass” awards.


4 posted on 05/27/2019 6:38:42 AM PDT by Da Coyote
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To: reaganaut1

Politically neutral Carolina?

Hah...like asking a leopard to shed its spots.

Better yet...like asking poop not to stink.


5 posted on 05/27/2019 6:39:06 AM PDT by moovova
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To: moovova

Every Democrat is a violent totalitarian thug.


6 posted on 05/27/2019 7:10:22 AM PDT by stinkerpot65 (Global warming is a Marxist lie.)
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To: reaganaut1
The law states that colleges should aspire to “institutional neutrality,” where schools do not take a stance on a political issue, so that students and staff don’t feel pressured to share the views of the political majority on campus.

They could start with elimination of affirmative action in the admissions process, in student awards including fellowships and support, and in faculty selection and promotion. That would be a logical part of "institutional neutrality."

Not likely. They'll just follow the law as stated above, by "aspiring."

7 posted on 05/27/2019 7:20:17 AM PDT by Pearls Before Swine ( "It's always a party when you're eating the seed corn.")
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To: reaganaut1
Collias spoke about being at an African American church when she was young and didn’t know who Martin Luther King Jr. was. She said the congregation was shocked and that she “should have known who this figure was.” She cited where she grew up and blamed white privilege for her ignorance


8 posted on 05/27/2019 7:26:10 AM PDT by Drew68
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To: reaganaut1

Honestly...when was the last time a major university (successfully) invited a conservative...hell, even a RINO...to deliver its commencement address?


9 posted on 05/27/2019 7:27:52 AM PDT by daler
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To: Still Thinking

Let me translate White Privilege: White self hate.


10 posted on 05/27/2019 7:58:26 AM PDT by Midwesterner53
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To: reaganaut1

Let’s ask UNC about it’s neutrality with Silent Sam, its failure to prosecute the thug vandals who pulled him down and their refusal to carry through on putting him back on display.


11 posted on 05/27/2019 7:59:38 AM PDT by Midwesterner53
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To: reaganaut1

The entire UNC education system is corrupt. Chapel Hill is a cesspool.


12 posted on 05/27/2019 8:00:42 AM PDT by DownInFlames (Galsd)
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To: Still Thinking

She needs to check her “stupidity privilege”.


13 posted on 05/27/2019 8:50:39 AM PDT by HotHunt (Been there. Done that.)
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To: Midwesterner53

White Lives Matter.


14 posted on 05/27/2019 8:51:36 AM PDT by HotHunt (Been there. Done that.)
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To: ealgeone
For the Communist and the socialist everything - no exceptions- is political and the p̣olitical is the necessary ingredient of every action and speech. It is inconceivable that there can be a neutral speech of encouragement to achieve for graduating students. It's not that they won't do it. They can't. It is mentally impossible for them.
15 posted on 05/27/2019 9:38:14 AM PDT by arthurus (fgggg)
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To: reaganaut1
When she received a positive reaction from the crowd, Collias then told a story about correcting her white privilege and urged members of the audience to do the same. Collias spoke about being at an African American church when she was young and didn’t know who Martin Luther King Jr.


If serious about white privilege, she should drop out of the race and never run again, so a person of color can have her space and be elected. Hypocrite!
16 posted on 05/27/2019 9:51:18 AM PDT by The_Media_never_lie ("The media is the enemy of the American people." Democrat Pat Caddell)
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To: DownInFlames
The entire UNC education system is corrupt. Chapel Hill is a cesspool.


From athletics to academics, UNC is well know for cheating!
17 posted on 05/27/2019 9:53:18 AM PDT by The_Media_never_lie ("The media is the enemy of the American people." Democrat Pat Caddell)
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To: HotHunt

Yep.


18 posted on 05/27/2019 10:47:54 AM PDT by Midwesterner53
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