Lisa Zhu, a senior at the University of Pennsylvania and columnist for the Daily Pennslyvanian, recently penned an insightful take on the public HBCU merger debate:Recently, Georgia state Senator Seth Harp caused an uproar in the community of higher education by proposing that two of the state's historically black colleges be merged with predominantly white ones. Specifically, his resolution stipulates that Savannah State University and Albany State University (both historically black public schools) be merged with the predominantly white colleges, Armstrong Atlantic State University and Darton College, respectively.
Harp justifies the decision by claiming that historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) are unconstitutional, and that merging them with the nearby majority-white schools would resolve financial problems stemming from the economic crisis.
Although the senator's second point may be partially correct, his assertion that HBCUs are unconstitutional is dead wrong. Unlike the "separate but equal" public-school systems of the Jim Crow era, HBCUs do not deny admission to non-black applicants nor do they offer preferential treatment for black students. The mere fact that the institution is predominantly black does not make it constitutionally invalid.
By that logic, all schools with student bodies made up of mostly non-white students should be shut down. Obviously, this line of reasoning would present quite a quandary in 2042, when ethnic minorities are slated to become the majority of the U.S. population. Furthermore, it is a bit hypocritical to make a fuss about majority-minority institutions, because the overwhelming majority of colleges and universities in the U.S. have one predominant race - white.
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These racist need to shove this merger talk. In 2010, why do we still have white colleges like Alabama, Georgia, UF, FSU, & Clemson? These slave descendant controlled colleges are unconstitutional and should be shut down with all deliberate speed. Think of the money this country would save if we closed these wasteful schools. We do not need All White Colleges any longer. Close em!!
ReplyDeleteWait, Wait. I am confused. Alabama, Georgia, UF, FSU, & Clemson don't have any african-american students? Or asian, or native-american, or latin?
ReplyDeleteHell, they have a few tokens running around campus, but they don't amount to anything. By the way, please define African American? Just so you know, I'm a Black American and don't take too kindly to being call an African American.
ReplyDeleteFSU, Alabama, Georgia, UF, & Clemson were found with the sole purpose of educating "Whites Only". There's a quota on how many of you Negroes will be allowed to get in. Now if you can chunk that ball, dunk that ball or run up and down that football field "like a gazelle", by golly we love you Leroy. You don't even have to know how to read a label on a loaf of bread. White colleges are just an illusion.
The anti-HBCU trolls on the internet always claim that our colleges are "one-race only" and "non-inclusive" despite the fact that we have people of all backgrounds.
ReplyDeleteIf being historically black makes a college "one-race only" then by that logic being historically white make also makes a college "one-race only."
Wow!!! So much hatred, it's unreal!
ReplyDeleteThere's no hatred. We're just keeping it real. I don't ever recall a black governor or black legislator standing the the doorway of a university to keep whites out. Do you? Many of us just don't believe that "there's something terribly wrong with black colleges", as rogue white politicians would like you to believe. That's almost like blaming the victim. Hell, we can educate ourselves.
ReplyDelete1:13 PM,
ReplyDeleteAs a FAMU supporter, I say let's go private; that way we won't have to worry about merger talk. We don't need there money to do our thing. Our alumni, boosters, and student-fan base will support us, not to mention the corporate dollars we can secure on our own. If Howard can do it, so can we.
11:49 PM
ReplyDeleteThe only problem in your logic is that most HWCU institutions don't refer to themselves as such nor do they call themselves White colleges. Many supporters of HBCUs boast of attending a black school. Of course, there are many connotations associated with that identification.
HBCUs are unconstitutional? Really? Well we would not have them if we were not denied entrance into their schools after the civil war ended.
ReplyDeleteThe problem is our schools are too successful for them to handle now they want to merger...Eff them.
BTW: Howard is not private. Unlike many of the HBCUs which are state supported, Howard receives most of its funding from the federal government since DC is not a state. If Howard had to rely on the private part of the quasi-private partnership it would not survive/
ReplyDelete11:46 AM,
ReplyDeleteThanks for the clarification. Actually, I was being sarcastic. I don't believe FAMU should become private. The tenor of the dialogue is very negative. I was responding in similar fashion to show the implications of some of the previous statements.
03/01/10 9:57 AM