I am writing as a concerned member of the Ohio University community. Last spring, I taught a section of English 151 and one of my students, an Urban Scholar from Cleveland, shared his experiences during his first year at OU. What follows are excerpts from a paper he wrote regarding the need for speech codes on college campuses (this student has given me permission to share his writing):
Many people I have encountered here believe that Ohio University wasn't a bad place for a minority. Rather than call them blind
I say take a closer look at the details. I have personally experienced some encounters with racism here. A close friend of mine has his name etched in wood inside Jefferson Dining Hall and under it 'IZ A NIGGER.' When he first saw this he reacted with anger and began to shout at random people as they walked by. Also
when I came here for my Urban Scholars' Orientation for the summer
rather than the citizens of Athens greeting ten young minority students dressed in business attire
we were faced with cowards shouting from passing cars screaming 'GO BACK TO CLEVELAND' and 'WE DON'T HAVE PROJECTS.' Even after the fact
we Urban Scholars are still the victims of racism. Here's something a little more subtle: In the men's bathroom on the first floor of Ellis Hall
there is a disgusting drawing in the last stall. Drawn in permanent marker is the Urban Scholars' logo
under it are some stick figures eating bananas
and above it says 'Urban Monkeys;' as if this wasn't bad enough
someone actually crossed out monkeys to write niggers.
Is it that hard to see that derogatory language still hurts? It still has the ability to make someone feel so small and worthless. Through words and actions
