Saturday, July 12, 2014

John McWhorter - Is John Garland Guilty of Teaching While White at Alabama State? .

Sure, you ought to be black to attend a historically black university. But to teach rehabilitation therapy? 

That’s the question in Alabama. It’s one of those stories where we’re supposed to shake our heads that racism can go both ways. John Garland, white, is suing the historically black Alabama State University for trying to ease him out of his job as a professor of Rehabilitation Studies. Garland claims a certain cadre of employees there think he, as well as his white husband Steven Chesbro, don’t belong at the school because they are white.

It’s too easy to just dismiss this as reverse racism. There are times when it’s appropriate to hold a position aside for a black person, and not just for reasons of “diversity.” It’s just that this ASU case likely isn’t one of them.

Read complete article here.