Posted on 02/21/2021 9:56:14 AM PST by george76
A Cornell University course titled “BIPOC Rock Climbing,” was originally restricted to “people who identify as Black, Indigenous, Latinx, Asian, or other people of color.”..
When Campus Reform contacted the school, Cornell officials edited the course description to remove the race-based enrollment restriction.
Cornell University altered the course description of a racially-segregated physical education course offered to students during the Spring 2021 academic semester after Campus Reform reached out for comment.
The class, entitled “BIPOC Rock Climbing," was originally restricted to “people who identify as Black, Indigenous, Latinx, Asian, or other people of color," before its description was edited to state that the class is “designed to enable Black, Indigenous, Latinx, Asian, or other people of color underrepresented in the sport of rock climbing to learn the sport and to feel included and supported."
The course’s original description, noting the class’s race-based enrollment restriction, is still visible, courtesy of an internet archive.
According to the new description, posted on Cornell’s website, the class will provide a “high degree of individual attention” and a “supportive space” where students will discuss “BIPOC individuals and groups in rock climbing." The new description states that the class is now “open to all” students who are “interested in learning rock climbing with this special focus."
The total price for students taking the course is $1,890—including the standard cost of a one-credit course, $1,575, and an additional mandatory “course fee” of $315.
When asked for comment, John Carberry, Cornell’s Senior Director of Media Relations and News, issued a statement to Campus Reform claiming that “all Cornell students” are “welcome” to enroll in the course, contradicting the original course description.
Carberry insisted that the course’s original description reflected an “intentional focus” on “outreach and inclusion," but that there was “never” any intention to exclude students that don’t identify as BIPOC.
“All Cornell students are welcome to enroll in this course. While the original description of the course represented an intentional focus on outreach and inclusion, there was never an intent to exclude non-minority students. The description of the course has been adjusted accordingly," Carberry said.
According to the New York State Attorney General’s website, “Students in New York schools are protected by federal, state, and local laws that prevent discrimination on the basis of race, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, religion, disability, and other categories."
Additionally, the New York Human Rights Law “makes it illegal” for “non-sectarian educational institutions” to “deny their services to students on the basis of race, color, religion, disability, national origin, sexual orientation, military status, sex, age or marital status."
A post on the r/Cornell subreddit page referencing the class titled “End Racially Segregated PE Classes at Cornell” generated significant discussion and backlash.
One user noted that under the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, schools “cannot be segregated” based on race, and another described “Critical Race Theory” as “f****** toxic."
Still, others defended the existence of racially-segregated courses at Cornell, with one declaring that the “intention” of the class is to “provide an affinity space” for “BIPOC students to feel comfortable and extra supported in a historically White dominated area of outdoor recreation."
Another user claimed that segregating rock climbing at Cornell brings more “diversity” into the class’s “pool of participants," comparing the class to Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). HBCUs do not limit their enrollments based on race or ethnicity.
Campus Reform reached out to representatives of the university’s Outdoor Education program but did not receive responses in time for publication.
Just short of two grand to learn how to climb rocks. Caveat emptor.
“All Cornell students are welcome to enroll in this course. While the original description of the course represented an intentional focus on outreach and inclusion, there was never an intent to exclude non-minority students. The description of the course has been adjusted accordingly,” Carberry said.
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If the original course description never intended to exclude anyone based on race, why dis the course description require editing?
A future worker drone for the Ministry of Truth.
What if the article were about golf instead of rock climbing?
How much are they charging the white students they exclude?
If you qualify as BIHOC the cost is covered by scholarship. If you are not?... guess.
There are a few professional rock climbers on American Ninja Warrior. Contestants are very lucky to actually win money.
As far as I can tell, there is no fan base (unlike football, basketball, baseball, etc.) that pays for tickets. As far as I can tell, professional rock climbers are salesmen/saleswomen for rock climbing equipment.
I haven’t paid that close attention but I would not agree that so-called BIPOC’s are underrepresented. The only one that immediately comes to mind is Meghan Martin (definitely part black, maybe identifies as completely black).
Ditto
You wouldn’t save that much; the excerpt said that the standard cost of a one-credit course was $1,575, and the other $315 was a course fee. No telling what the course fee for other activities might be.
I wonder if tuition is $1575 for every credit hour. That would put a fairly easy load of 16 hours at $25,200. I was paying not much more than 1% of that while attending a state university in Oregon in the mid-70s.
... class will provide a “high degree of individual attention” and a “supportive space” where students will discuss “BIPOC individuals and groups in rock climbing.”
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Do the students actually get to climb rocks or do they just sit around and discuss how racist rock climbing is?
Still trying to understand how it’s racist. Is it the rocks? The funny soft shoes you have to wear? Is it the chalk? it’s the chalk, right?! It’s white chalk.
When do they start eliminating Whitey? That’s their desire and intent.
An apprenticeship program will pay you that much to learn a trade. Free skills training and guaranteed job placement.
Who is the smart one?
“But having a rock climbing class in and of itself is not an issue.”
You make a good point, but that particular racial/ethnic group needs a lot of emphasis on academics.
“if you couldn’t pass a swimming test during orientation, one of them would be swimming”
I am fine with that. I can’t remember ever not being able to swim, but they say a lot of POC can’t. Under certain circumstances it is more important than even reading and since it can’t be super expensive to teach I say got for it. But rock climbing subsidized by my tax dollars? No way.
Ping
The fee is to offset overly expensive athletic facilities and help pay for grossly overpaid coaches. There is no reason to require PE for graduation, they should be electives only.
Where is the Dept of Justice to remind citizens, businesses, schools, etc this is outrageously illegal because This is becoming commonplace.
Wow!! Rock Climbing 101. Back in my college years the only “gut courses/ sure A’s” available were French Lit in Translation, Economic Geology, and anything in the Sociology Dept.
I’m sure they do. Trump was trying to remove this divisive’ training’
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