Kent State a cappella group bans white students from solo auditions

An a cappella group at Kent State University in Ohio allegedly banned white students from auditioning for certain solos and disciplined a longtime member for questioning the race-based policy.

Emails obtained by Campus Reform display how Vocal Intensity A Cappella limited certain solos to “people of color,” claiming white students would be engaging in “cultural appropriation” if they were to perform them.

Mark Phillips, a three-year member and the a cappella group’s beatboxer, contacted a board member to inquire about how the exclusion of white students aligned with Kent State’s anti-discrimination policies. Phillips suggested the limitation seemed “at odds with equal opportunity” in his message to the executive board.

“I fully respect concerns about authenticity, but I also believe that whoever gives the strongest performance should be given the chance,” he wrote. “Art, music, and culture are meant to be shared and celebrated, not gatekept.”

In response, the board accused him of violating the university’s anti-discrimination policy, placed him on probation, and scheduled a disciplinary hearing requiring him to “plead his case” before the entire group.

The board later reaffirmed its position, confirming that the solos would remain restricted to black students unless overturned by a vote.

According to the group’s constitution, discrimination is prohibited on the basis of race, and Kent State University’s policy also bans racial discrimination and specifically retaliation against students who challenge it.

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine signed the Advance Ohio Higher Education Act earlier this year, restricting Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) practices across public universities. The anti-DEI bill explicitly prohibits race-based advantages, and to “provide [students] equality of opportunity, with regard to those individuals’ race,” as stated in Senate Bill 1.

While university guidelines prohibit discrimination, the board prepared a process that included a closed board hearing, potential permanent removal, and even a potential several months-long suspension.

Phillips ultimately resigned, calling the process a “performative ambush designed as a hearing.”

In his resignation letter, Phillips wrote: “I argued for equal treatment. The eagerness to twist my words shows a lack of honesty and critical thought. Denying opportunities based on skin color is discrimination by definition.”

He says he was punished, not for misconduct, but for opposing the discriminatory behavior.

“My only crime was advocating for equality for everyone, regardless of skin color. I raised a valid concern, discussed the definition of discrimination and held a mirror up to what they were doing. In their eyes, anti-white discrimination is okay, but challenging that precedent isn’t,” Phillips told Campus Reform.

“What I really want is for people to bring common sense back and stop pretending that people of color are oppressed in this country. I want people to realize that we are meant to celebrate what we have in common instead of dividing and fighting over our differences,” Phillips said.

Campus Reform has contacted Kent State University and the Vocal Intensity A Cappella group for comment. This article will be updated accordingly.

For reference:

My 2016 column on Microaggressions.

https://hadleyblog.blogspot.com/2016/04/t-here-are-some-stories-appearing-on.html

In 2016, a University of Oklahoma human relations theory class stated a white man cannot be singing songs from pop diva Robyn "Rihanna" Fenty or he would be causing "microaggressions."

What type of indoctrination is happening in our schools now? This reminds of Sam Smith, who covered Whitney Houston's "How Would I Know?" (he has since been known for singing the theme to a Bond film, and that awful Unholy song with Mr. Petras at the 2003 Grammys). We'd charge microaggressions for Mr. Smith's actions.

And don't get me started on the numerous numbers of "wailing women and moaning men" who sing certain Top 40 songs on "religious radio" via the karaoke machine when men sing women's and women sing men's hits under this logic. Can you imagine a big 90's femme hit I loved for many years being sung by a mixed quartet (which could fit)?

The "pre-LaRoche Era" me when it came to church music would be guilty (loved to sing female vocalists' hits with friends), but after taking voice, aka the LaRoche and Beyond Era, as a tenor I understand I am not designed to sing soprano solos!

It reminds me of a 2014 service in York, England, where a man sang as the lead singer of their Life Enhancement Centre's rock band (it's no church, we know what these Warrenist types and Perry's House of Heresy do) a song from a 90's femme supergroup I remember so many times. He was lead singer for the girlie song.

So now if you're not X race, you're not allowed to sing solos.

On another part, I was part of a summer chorus in college and I had a hard time learning "black gospel" music techniques that contrasted with the Baroque voice I learned.

During a time from 2003-04 in church when I was in choir, the leader had us sing a black gospel/R&B influenced version of "Pass Me Not" with the karaoke machine. I was confused and just could not understand what they were doing. I could not sing karaoke pop. Months prior, the adult choir was to sing with karaoke the late 1990's femme pop hit "When Love Came Down" provided by the SBC's Lifeway music, and we were replaced by kids doing puppets and dance. They wanted a plan where dance, not singing, was the way to be church music. In October, they announced an adult group dance to pop hits will be started because none of the previous generation learned to sing and wanted to do what they did in their youth. Now the choir that's left sings hits from the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship's books - a denomination that denies the inerrancy of Scripture. I left the choir after the "Pass Me Not" Incident because the direction they were going was the opposite of sitting in Leah Hungerford's studio that year learning to sing was doing.

Eventually, I was run out of that church over a theological issue when an extended family member was thrown out of a youth pastor search committee over rejection of John MacArthur and Albert Mohler whilst accepting Steven Furtick, Joel Houston, and Bill Johnson. In Sunday's Advent service I viewed online for research, no Advent hymns were sung, they sang exclusively hits, with Furtick being the signature.

Thankful I attend a sound Bible believing church 38 miles from home where Thomas Russell's organ plays and youth are taught to sing while the Bible is taught -- our Governor McMaster and my Representative Joe Wilson attend and I gave a friend a Derek Thomas book.

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