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.
We had to pass a swimming test at my school, but I seem to recall that we didn’t have to use a swimming stroke. We had to be able to tread water for a certain amount of time and complete two lengths of the pool in some manner. You could dog paddle.
As for the segregated rock climbing, I’m glad they got busted. The groups they wanted to include would probably end up segregating either further into little subgroups.
Preventing a lawsuit.
Georgia Tech for many years required male students pass a Drownproofing class. The technique was developed as something that could quickly and easily trained to soldiers and sailors.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drownproofing
https://www.isye.gatech.edu/news/surviving-drownproofing-101
Lean black athletes tended to have a hard time with the course, as they didn’t have much in the way of natural buoyancy. The young ladies who took the class (they were not required to take the course), on the other hand, generally found it pretty easy due to their physiology tending to have plenty of natural buoyancy. Vive la différence!
At least when I went through the rate was flat and if you wanted to overload and get permission, you were free to knock yourself out. The majority of my semesters were 20+ credits, and I saved myself a year of tuition that way. Most courses didn’t have course fees.
Oddly enough, between scholarship and everything else, attending Cornell ended up being cheaper than attending the University of Oregon or SOSC (I grew up in Oregon so I applied to both—my Dad is a SOSC alumnus and Mom attended there but ended opting for the Mrs.—while there however she did very well in some of the last courses, if not the last course, offered by Angus Bowmer). However the cost of state schools in Oregon went up a fair bit between when you went through and when I was applying.
“You’re the most brilliant Engineering student we’ve had in many years and we were really looking forward to working with you on your interesting and original research project. However you can’t swim.”
They do teach other things as well. At least the rock climbing isn’t required, and what I learned about colored peoples I learned by getting to know a few from Cleveland, Louisiana, and some other places.
It was a little enlightening for someone from the back woods of Oregon.
But the ones who were really weird to get to know were from Boston and NYC. Many of them were much weirder than folks from Eugene. Of course, I think the sentiment was probably mutual.
However you can’t swim.”
So learn.
Isn’t rock climbing traditionally a white centric activity? This smacks of cultural appropriation.
They taught a lot of unathletic nerds to swim and be safe in the water.
I identify as transparent. I can see veins and arteries all over. Where does that put me?
Why, swimming has nothing to do with engineering or any other academic endeavor. It’s a completely arbitrary requirement. Why not require everybody to become a chess master, it’s about as relevant. By your logic Stephen Hawkings couldn’t graduate because he can’t swim. What was Isaac Newton’s swimming skill level? When you’re about to have surgery, do you inquire about the surgeon’s ability to swim. Learning to swim is a good thing, however it has no business being a requirement for a professional degree. Save it for the “Studies” majors.
The ropes used for rock climbing look a lot like the ropes used for lynchings, don’t they?
This is the emotional foundation for segregation and, eventually, genocide. “Don’t you feel better just with your own? Hate/fear/be disgusted by the infidel/unbeliever. Keep them away from you for your safety. They came to close, beat them so you’re not polluted.”
Cornell, another University that one does not take the diploma at face value. Check the courses and the grades, “Rock climbing” is the new “basket weaving,” in the “Ivies.”
Ithaca is a shit town anyway, go somewhere else.
Do you have to learn to tie any noose-type knots for rock-climbing? Who will the POC club blame if they see any “nooses” lying around?
Since I’m white, I doubt I would qualify for this class. But what if I said I identify as orange?
BTY: Did you know that orange is one of the few words in English that has no rhyming words? Silver is another one.
Make sure to take out a high interest loan to pay for the class.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.