• Art Jahnke

    Senior Contributing Editor

    Art Janke

    Art Jahnke began his career at the Real Paper, a Boston area alternative weekly. He has worked as a writer and editor at Boston Magazine, web editorial director at CXO Media, and executive editor in Marketing & Communications at Boston University, where his work was honored with many awards. Profile

Comments & Discussion

Boston University moderates comments to facilitate an informed, substantive, civil conversation. Abusive, profane, self-promotional, misleading, incoherent or off-topic comments will be rejected. Moderators are staffed during regular business hours (EST) and can only accept comments written in English. Statistics or facts must include a citation or a link to the citation.

There are 369 comments on President Brown Addresses Issue of Racially Charged Tweets

  1. As an educator, I am seriously concerned about Dr. Grundy’s history of racist remarks. She went against every rule of being a professional educator. This is not a learning opportunity for Dr. Grundy and should not be taken lightly by anyone in education. Students are to be respected and educated by professional in our field, not verbally abused.

      1. Not “verbally abused”? So if a white professor said black men are THE problem and I avoid black business- no one would have said a word?

        1. No Lakia…clearly part of the population is allowed to be racist. Heck, she’ll probably get an award! Sickening times we live in that ANYONE would defend the vile Saida Grundy…a racist with a capital R. You are spot on with your comparative argument. Thanks for adding lucidity where so many are incredibly clueless.

          1. No, no one except for an absurd moral relativist fool would suggest there’s any difference beyond the standard double standard.

      2. The ramblings of a deeply disturbed individual. Oh wait…she will be a deeply disturbed individual teaching young minds at BU. Adults ranting on social media. Leave it to the 13 year olds- at least they’re expected to be idiots.

    1. you can’t be racist against white people. you can be prejudiced against them, but racism indicates systematic oppression and hatred based on race. there’s NO system operating AGAINST white people. calm down, RJ.

      1. This absurd notion that you can’t be racist against white people has to end. The people who say this are, many times, racists themselves and seek to justify their racism. I suggest anyone wanting to spout this tripe actually pick up a dictionary and read the definition of the word.

        1. Right on, educator! It’s like saying only white people can be sarcastic. Let’s progress, man. College professor heckles rape victim. College professor loses job.

      2. well said, silky. As a white man it’s discouraging to see the furor about Grundy’s remarks. Who is offended here? White male students? If white male students don’t ever come in across with ideas other than the status quo how will the very real problems we have with race in this country ever change?

        1. I am a Latino, and I am also offended by this. I am as offended by this as I am of racial profiling by police and the assertion that “white men cant jump”. I am as offended by this as I am by the idea that Asians are inherently smarter than other races or that Black-Ameriacans are inherently better at athletics.

          You cant fix racism by saying pinning an issue on one group of people, thats how we got where we are today in the first place.

          1. I fully agree Wendell! I am offended by any grouping of people based on skin color. Its inaccurate and unfair. Skin color is a description not a characterization. There are different ethnic groups within these skin color groupings that get completely ignored an have much more real significance. There is one race, the human race, and to reduce peoples character to their physical appearance by any means is harmful to everyone.

            Attacking “white people” will never undo and harm done and victimizing “black people” as a special group that needs help only keeps them in a state of separation, of other-ness. Stop talking about the problem, and start focusing on a solution. See no color.

          2. Thank you, Wendell!!!

            We all want to be individuals and be evaluated on the basis of our accomplishments, our ethics, and our own special personality traits.

            There’s too much identification with groups and too much anger!

        2. Mr. Wilson: As a white male I find what this racist spouted highly offensive. I do not believe that white males are a problem on any college campus. As a college professor, I have never had any issues with white males. If I spouted such hateful speech at my college I would be demonized by both the students and the faculty of the college and would definitely be fired for making such offensive statements. You are giving this racist individual a pass simply because of her race and of whom she speaks; white males. You should be ashamed for defending such behavior and Boston University and it’s Board should be reconsidering her employment.

          1. Prof Roper, do you think Wilson should be terminated for exercising the same free speech rights that you enjoy? How hypocritical. As for your touching belief that white males never being a problem on any campus, all you have to do is check the news to see that’s false. This is no defense of Prof Grundy. But in their rush to self-righteously denounce her, too many critics reveal their own intolerance.

        3. Real problems are not solved by more vitriolic speech. Anyone with any semblance of intelligence should be offended by this..regardless of race.

      3. How can you be so ignorant? What on earth does it mean “you can’t be racist against white people?”…Systematic racism is not the same as plain old racism. Racism is not defined as “white on black” it is simply race prejudiced against another race. Of course blacks can and will be racist toward whites. Same as asians can be racist towards hispanics. Sure, you can say there is no systematic racism against whites, in fact i’d support that statement, but you have to be pretty closed minded and ignorant to thing “racism” is one sided. There is no such thing as reverse racism, just plain racism, doesn’t matter if what races were involved.

        Grundy made a RACIST comment. Plain and simple. And she needs to be punished for saying something that seriously jeopardizes her academic integrity.

      4. BS. Racism is simply prejudice based on race. Critical race theory’s definition of racism is not universally accepted so YES, black people can and ARE racist as this “educator” clearly demonstrates.

      5. There is an assertion that racism can only exist if there is systematic oppression or hatred. Does this mean there is no racism between minorities? Is a Latino calling a White person an ‘expletive’, or an Asian referring to a Pacific Islander by a derogatory term no longer racist?

      6. Oh please, nice try, one CAN be racist against white people:

        “Racism: the belief that all members of each race possess characteristics or abilities specific to that race, especially so as to distinguish it as inferior or superior to another race or races…prejudice, discrimination, or antagonism directed against someone of a different race based on the belief that one’s own race is superior.

        “Systemic oppression” and a “system” are not requisite. If a cabbie refuses a fare because of the passenger’s race, that’s RACISM coming from an individual jerk, not from a member of “system”.

      7. For arguments sake, let’s pretend your premise is correct, and select another term that applies here besides racism. Bigot: : a person who strongly and unfairly dislikes other people, ideas, etc. : a bigoted person; especially : a person who hates or refuses to accept the members of a particular group (such as a racial or religious group).

      8. Silky Johnson, Ever hear of Affirmative Action? It has been argued that this is reverse racism, that being racist against white people. Agree or disagree, it exists !

        1. Affirmative Action is certainly not racist it actually promotes bringing races together, in that its intent is to offer opportunities to those who would not normally have those opportunities due to discrimination and/or circumstance.

          1. This just a result of jockeying for position and power (she wants to make a statement of power). This incident is the symptom of an educational and governmental system over-compensating to appease a group.

            Prejudice and racism will only be reduced by removing labels and special consideration or treatment (positive or negative) by any group, business or government agency.

          2. If one were to assert that racism includes a policy (good or bad) based on race, then AA is in fact racist. AA was implemented to ensure that job, school etc opportunities were advertised in ways, locations and media that would reach as many demographics as possible that hadn’t been as widely publicized previously. What we probably are missing the boat on is that there is such a thing as good racism. No? Hiring quotas would fall into this category as well, no?

      9. “You can’t be racist against white people?” What color is the sun on the planet you’re on. I can’t figure out if your statement is ignorance, bigoted manipulation, or stupidity. Saida Grundy’s comments are an obvious indication that she is a racist. If she were white and said that about black men sho would have been fired on the spot. Sure, freedom of speech is important, but the character of people instructing young people is also important, and a racist does not just change his or her stripes because they say they will be fair. The very nature of racism and her racist statements of her shopping and the problems of white me are indicative of that. Hopefully all the problematic “white men” will stop contributing to Boston University. Any school who puts up with racism under the guise of freedom of speech shouldn’t be teaching. In addition, the fact that the woman teaches sociology is down right scary, since she’s obviously ignorant on more than a few issues.

      10. The notion one cannot be racist against a race is not something you would expect to hear from a collegiate student. I suggest you look up the definition of racism in Websters. Racism exists on both ends of the racial spectrum and everyone knows it.

      11. What a load of bull. As an American (Indian) and only American, I call baloney…..Idiots who stand in front and teach kids, teens or adults need to keep their asinine comments to themselves. When you post “Stupidity” for the world to see then your credibility is gone and you must move on. I go back to the late 70’s and early 80’s, when Jimmy “The Greek” Snyder made a comment that “Black” athlete ran like a monkey, He was fired….. through the years the same things have happened to other TV personalities and others in all situations. Bottom Line whether Black or White or other ethnicity, if one gets fired for there “Racist” mouth then all should. Fair is fair and Racism is Racism. Sick of it no matter who is the racist….

      12. So, an economically disenfranchised Anglo American living in the abject squalor of Apalachia, or another economically deprived location, whose family never had the means or intention of oppressing anyone is still a racist? This is a fraud perpetrated by minorities to justify their own bigotry, plain and simple. Ergo, you, Silky, are a bigot. How does that feel, homes?

      13. Systematic oppression is real in the form of Affirmative Action laws. But, that is not the real issue here. She heckled a rape victim. OK!? SHE HECKLED A RAPE VICTIM!!! Wrap your head around that one and then consider if that action fits the description of a college professor.

      14. Even if you’re correct about “cant be racist against white people”

        she is an ignorant bigot. do you really want an ignorant bigot teaching future leaders of tomorrow?

        who cares if she can or can’t be racist – she is an ignorant bigot with no place in higher education.

        immediate termination for her.

    2. Please note that you cannot go on the University’s web site and send a message to President Robert Brown, so that leaves us with social media to reply. The question I have for Mr. Brown is if this was a “WHITE TEACHER” making the same remarks about “BLACK MALE” students would she still be going to work on July 1st?

      1. And I’m a student at BU. Ask around. The racism on this campus is very subtle and often subconscious, which makes it worse and sometimes more hurtful.

      2. Ed, I agree totally. Why is it you can locate the email of all employees on the BU website but when it comes to Presidents Brown, he seems to be unreachable.

      3. If the situation were reversed, the celebrated professor would have little or no chance of working in education anywhere again ever. And that would be appropriate.

      4. Don’t take the bait of this being a racial issue. This is an incoming professor who heckled a rape victim. That’s it. Rejected.

      1. If black men were in the same positions of “power” and privilege that she speaks of, I am sure she would. When “we” stop pretending that racism doesn’t exist, the disenfranchised will stop speaking out and making obvious statements that we, the “non white” have had to live with.

        And let’s be honest, the only reason she STILL has a job is because President Brown doesn’t want to be the one to fire her over her honesty…no matter how controversial her comments may have been. Let’s see how long she stays…

        1. Ms. Grundy still has a job because the only thing the university’s administration fears more than losing donations is being labeled racist by non-white activists for taking action against a minority female. That is the current environment where free speech is only free when its content meets the measure of those who believe hate and bigotry espoused by those who have been historically oppressed is somehow less offensive or even justified.

          By the way, the last time I checked quite literally the most powerful man in this country was black. I know that fact does not fit nicely into the narrative that many want to spin, but the reality is that race is clearly not the barrier to participation and success that those focused solely upon the distant past would like us all to believe. The simple and unavoidable truth here, as inconvenient as it may be, is that non-whites have not faced systemic oppression by whites for a generation, and yet many continue to struggle with advancing. Perhaps looking within, rather than blaming outside, might make a difference? Ms. Grundy obviously is not well suited to ask those hard questions, and for that reason alone vesting her with the responsibility of teaching young people–regardless of their race–is a mistake.

          1. I suppose the continued expansion of the prison industrial complex disproportionately impacting black communities nationwide doesn’t amount to oppression of those who belong to this generation. Refusing to acknowledge white privilege and making false claims of reverse racism won’t make these things dissapear or misinformed arguments legitimate. Obama’s power has been bestowed upon him by a government that has proven itself to be corrupt while black lives all across America still feel the need to proclaim they matter. Symbolic progress is hardly progress at all. As an African American woman anticipating enrollment in one of the nation’s top law schools I am nobody’s victim but I am WELL aware I will face unnecessary hurdles as a result of institutionalized racism AND sexism, or did we think both of these social constructs weren’t at play in this scenario? Her tweets indicted white MASCULINITY, not white men, a concept that can be embraced by members of any race or sex. An attempt to twist her words and by doing so victimize white men, (the most dominant group ON EARTH) is disingenuous at least but pitiful at best. Time and truth are always on the side of the oppressed.

    3. Replace the word “white” with “black” in her posts, and no one would so much as look at her, much less hire her. This is pure, open racism disguised as “discourse.” Any university that condones and abets such action has no right to call itself a university. It can call itself a wellspring of bigotry, perhaps.

    4. This sort of racism should never be tolerated and this Dr. Gandy should immediately be terminated . She made ignorant statements and this university should take swift action. If she was a white professor saying this about black men she would already have been gone .

    5. I am so disappointed that the university stands behind Dr. Grundy’s racist remarks. I understand that Dr. Grundy has issues with “white males” involved in education. Does she have a problem with white male students or just white male educators? I am wondering if the University also goes out of their way to avoid businesses owned by Caucasian, Asian, Latino or any other race besides African American. I believe she should not be allowed to teach hate or any other subject at your school.

        1. Oh, thanks for clarifying. So, she’s not biased against older white males? As long as you’re not a college aged male. Whew, that’s a relief. She’s clearly non judgmental, a beacon of fair-mindedness and not a bigot. Archie Bunker is safe in his racist bunker by himself. Yeah, that was sarcastic if you missed it.

    6. Ms. Grundy should be ordered to take diversity training classes before she’s allowed the privilege of teaching at BU and its white male students.

    7. How can she accurately teach students fairly if she feels white males are the problem in her profession. Seems to me like she would give white students a harder time as her racist post have suggested. If they are the problem, what is it that makes them the problem. Maybe she should of elaborated on that a little more. Either way I don’t feel she should be in any position to mold young minds. As her views are one sided and lack diversity.

    8. Agreed. This is overt racism. Unless she is terminated from employment, BU’s enrollment will start tumbling. Parents will vote with their tuition money.

    9. I would hope that each student and alum would boycott all sports venues this year as we all know that when the unbiased dollar fails to go into the school then heads will lift and ears will listen. This Professor should not be part of this University.

    10. As a 1979 graduate student at BU, it’s disturbing to hear this black professor making such racially disparingly comments about white men. I was born and raised in the south, but I never felt like a white or black person until I was called a cracker by a black guy when I was in undergraduate school in Virginia. He told me I thought I was better than him because I was white. I wasn’t the racist, he was! I grew up where my brother, cousins etc. played with black kids all the time…we were friends. My grandmother cooked dinner for all of us many times. What is wrong with this country and the kids that are so racially biased and mean today? How sad for us all. My friends are white, black, asian, latino, etc. Dear God, what is wrong with this evil folks trying to create chaos, hatred, etc in this world.

    11. BU denounces the statement? How about Boston University fires professor. That would have been a more correct response. She should never see the inside of a classroom again as a teacher.

    12. All you blacks and liberals stop defending Saida Grundy. Be honest, if a white professor spoke of blacks like she did, he would be FIRED IMMEDIATELY! No matter if it was Twitter, FB. You are the RACISTS!

    13. I’m concerned too as a parent of college aged children. Her bias is part of the issues that allow racism to continue in this country.
      I will take BU off of my list of colleges to look at for my children.

    14. She needs to rethink her profession & BU should have dealt with this more appropriately. A local high school teacher was fired for bias comments on her FB for less than what this woman said. She is part of the problem and not the solution.
      I will have my children remove BU as from their short lists of colleges to consider attending.

    15. Outspoken racist teaching a class. Nice. Unacceptable- yet will be condoned by allowing this angry, poor decision making individual to step in front of a BU classroom.

    16. In her apology she elaborated that her comments were not understood properly. She said “to speak about them indelicately. I deprived them of the nuance and complexity that such subjects always deserve.” That makes me feel better. Kind of like the KKK telling everyone they are about love, not hate. Sure, they are just misunderstood too. Two sides of the EXACT same coin. One is educating your children on your dime and the other is justifiably marginalized in an informed, civilized society.

    17. I reside in Nashville, Tenn. I have always thought of Boston University as an esteemed school, but I must say I am confused. Saida Grundy spews the most polluted rhetoric I have ever known. Grundy transcends prejudice and hate. She has no character or dignity. My question: What school official discovered this woman. If not known her contempt, did anyone vet her? What about her writing as far as grammar and punctuation? You would not find a rural Tennessee middle school hiring her just for basic education limitations. A professor at Boston University? Beyond belief!

      Her response to the school was shallow and insulting. Her statements were transparent and actually magnified her bigotry. Shame on Boston University for arriving at a position to bring her on staff.

      Her venom is scary. Her attitude does not facilitate racial harmony, but imparts a catalyst for dangerous situations. I know this is very naive, but what white male or female would let their shadow grace her classroom door?

      I do not recognize free speech in this situation. Her shameful views and vicious remarks are not conducive to a normal, healthy educational experience. Grundy has soiled Boston University and done damage to the school’s reputation. This is a sad and disgusting occurrence and one which the school will have to live with forever. For Boston University I fear this calamity will never be forgotten.

    18. Historically sociologists have been employed helping businesses use racism as a tool to manage their workforces. The idea is to divide and conquer by inciting racial division. When you get the black workers in one corner of the cafeteria and white workers in the other throwing food at each other the industrial sociologist has successfully stopped any hope of having a union.

      Some of Dr. Grundy’s tweets were aimed at the University of Oklahoma fraternity that distributed videos of a disturbing racist song. I presume the boys at the fraternity did this to evoke opposition, which Dr. Grundy all too eagerly provided. It is very educational.

    19. Dr Grundy’s remarks reflect her blatant, and deep-seated racist ideology. Her polemic rhetoric does nothing to challenge us to think differently about race relationships in our country, rather they add to the rift.
      Shame on you Boston University for keeping her in your employ, a horrendous double standard that serves no moral or ethical purpose.

    20. *(CNN)A [WHITE] Georgia educator who was caught on camera calling out “all the black people” for leaving a graduation ceremony during the valedictorian’s speech has been fired.
      “‘In light of recent events, the board of directors of TNT Academy has moved to dismiss Nancy Gordeuk as principal,” says a letter obtained by CNN.
      Heidi Anderson, chairwoman of the board of directors at TNT Academy in Stone Mountain, signed the letter before sending it to the Gwinnett County chapter of the NAACP, which had called for Gordeuk’s termination.
      Gordeuk came under fire after being caught on video scolding attendees of Friday’s ceremony who she said were disruptive, saying into a microphone, “You people are being so rude, to not listen to this speech. … Look who’s leaving … all the black people.”

      http://www.cnn.com/2015/05/14/us/feat-georgia-principal-fired/index.html

      *Georgia principal fired after ‘black people’ graduation remark
      By Stephanie Gallman, CNN
      Updated 9:14 PM ET, Thu May 14, 2015

    1. Are you somehow comparing Saida Grundy’s comments to Paula Deen’s use of a racial slur? And then insinuating that she should lose her job?

      Please elaborate, Patrick.

      1. Hmmm, Patrick. Dr. Grundy’s feelings of “white masculinity” somehow equate to those of the bigotry of Paula Deen? I see.

        Interesting for me is the fact that I have reported three faculty members in the past for the way they have spoken to their students of color, and the university has only fired 1 (suspended all 3). Dr. Grundy was not attacking in her comments, she voiced HER opinion. Are we calling this SLANDER?!! *LAUGHABLE!*

          1. Well, not exactly.
            Paula Deen’s controversy stemmed from the fact that she was discovered to continuously use racial slurs in derogatory ways. That’s not an opinion.

      2. Yes, Grundy’s comments are far more troubling than Paula Deen’s travails. Deen is some woman spreading morbid obesity via promotion of grease consumption. She’s a cooking show host, not someone pretending to be a serious academic, not an educator teaching college students.

        Of course she should be held to a higher standard and condemned for her idiotic, ignorant, racist diatribes.

  2. I read Brown’s letter to the BU community and I truly look foward to sending BU the last tuition bill in 2016. As an educator and single parent I am offended by Ms. Gundy’s hatefilled comments about white young college men being a problem. I have worked hard not to judge my students as a teacher and have raised my son to be respectful to everyone. Mr. Brown and Ms Grundy need to apologize for these offensive comments. They may be your opinion but they are not based on your research. These comments are hatefilled and lack intellect. Ms. Grundy is not experienced to handle a student population she hates and she will not grade their test, papers or presentation fairly. I am requesting that she be asked to resign from the teaching position as she has violated the school policy. She is not committed to providing a safe educational environment free of bias, open to a wide range of discussions or having an inculsive classroom. Her credentials and inexperience need to be taken somewhere else. I don’t want my son and the rest of the Boston community to be subjects in her hatefilled research demise. This is appauling and I am disappointed. Thank you to the hundreds of BU alumni, friends and students who have spoken up against this slander.

    1. She did apologize, but only about not providing real context to her tweets, not necessarily about her comments on race, which if you ask many sociological or historical experts, are based primarily in fact (although her language does generalize). Her tweets pinpoint a greater issue at hand. If you find yourself more concerned about the language she has used then about the issue she chooses to focus on, you are apart of the problem.

      smh, do you really think white feelings matter more than that black lives or the traumatic events that minoritws have endured across time. If so, you are apart of the problem.

      1. Yvonne..she most certainly did NOT apologize. She made it clear that she meant what she said and she could have cared less how it affected others. NOONE with this kind of hate in their heart should even be let near our college students let along be in charge of teaching them anything.

        You made it clear that ONLY black people’s feelings matter…that is the mantra that has to stop in this country..we are ALL people who can be offended and hated…I don’t care what color you are. Being black does not give you a free pass to disrespect others.

      2. No Yvonne, unfortunately you are the problem. Ms. Grundy’s tweets are not primarily based in fact. It has been proven by multiple sources that she did in fact have false information in her tweets. I believe it was the part about slavery only being a white thing. The issues she chooses to focus on are making sure that all races remain divided. It is not a matter of white feelings, it is a matter of being a horrible human being which Ms. Grundy has made clear that she is.

        1. In addition to her absurd statement that St. Patricks day is not an event in Ireland. There is an Irish website that is dedicated to the celebration of St Patricks day.

      3. “… Black lives or the the traumatic events that minorities have endued across time…” So white tenant farmers in the south during reconstruction suffered no hardship and no discrimination? Or white people of varying circumstance never have to currently (not in the past) deal with being discriminated against? Or are you saying every white male was a plantation owner and had slaves? You ignorance of white feelings and discrimination are myopic and ignorant.

      4. Yvonne: WHAT FACTS DID THIS BIGOT SPOUT? She is a bigot and nothing more. Surely you are KIDDING? An apology does not justify the bigoted remarks and what she truly feels about her students. For you to attempt to justify this behavior is unbelievable and indicative of your own bigoted beliefs. I am a college professor and I never see ANY problems from my white male students. The vast majority of my white male students are polite, highly intelligent, studious individuals. I actually see very few white males on campus. Fully 70% of my students are female and the few men I do see are athletes or older students coming back to finish their education. SMH. Do you honestly believe that spouting racist comments helps black students or can save a single black life? If so you are the problem and not white males.

    2. The biggest damage to your son not come from Grundy; the biggest damage to your son will be his short-sighted and under-informed mother who spoon-feeds him some ego every morning.
      Grundy’s tweets are not racist, she knows her subject and she knows the data; this is simply a conclusion derived from her work. If you’re offended by the angle she took in her tweets then imagine how mothers of minority children feel every time they watched racist perspectives on the news. Boo hoo to you and your white son who’s never had to put up with any racial exclusion in the past. BOO HOO

      1. How ugly and hateful you also sound…maybe you should have been “spoon fed some ego” every morning by your mother to teach you to not only respect yourself but to respect others.

        I would be ashamed if my child held hate in their heart like you and Ms Gundy do. Get over it..maybe you need to find Jesus.

      2. Yeah, ok, boo hoo yourself. I have a hard time getting too wound up over affirmative action hires like Professor Bigot. All I have to do is look at society and see the data for myself. Hispanics, Asians, Caucausians–doing pretty well and continuing to grow and thrive. Black community…imploding. Maybe mothers and fathers (shocker) of minority children should do the WORK it takes to keep their children from growing into a “racist perspective” news headline, eh? Meanwhile I’ll keep my eye on the professors and researchers who are curing cancer and such. She’s fluff.

      3. What data? Please show me. And if Grundy were basing her racism on data, she would have cited it in her tweets. But obviously, her aim was not to present facts but to slant an entire group of people. By the way, you are equally racist as Grundy as you are assuming that white boys’ mothers nurture arrogance in their children and, also based on your wording, that this does not occur among other peoples. And how would you know that? Based on your data?

        1. I have never agreed more with a statement. Very well said, Reason. Kris, show us the data…enough of your unsupported claims. Also, your rhetoric proves that you are a racist. How vile.

      4. No, she does not know the “data.” It appears you are trying to say facts. She didn’t cite any data in her tweets.

        As for whether she knows the facts, it’s clear she does not.
        Europeans were not the inventors of chattel slavery, it existed in the Middle East and even in Sub-Saharan Africa. Someone who wants to teach African-American studies should know that, yet another strike against Grundy. She doesn’t even know the subject matter she claims to be an expert in.

      5. “She knows her data”? The first slave owner in North America was a black man who bought another black man; the Africans who became enslaved were hunted down and sold in Africa not by white men, but by their own people or by North African Muslims who recognized the commercial possibilities inherent in selling people. More than 2/3 of all blacks at the time of the Civil War were free, and almost 50% of slaves were owned other Blacks.

        Nothing in what Professor Grundy says reflects the truth; she may know the truth, but it does not serve her agenda and the agendae of other race-baiters; and so she continues this false, divisive narrative.

        The Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. would not ever have encouraged or supported Ms. Grundy’s annual attempts to avoid patronizing any white businesses! That goal is bizarre. She must not recall that that great man looked to a time when all people will be judged not on the color of their skin, but on the strength of their character. Ms. Grundy is not furthering Dr. King’s dream: She continues to judge others by the color of their skin, and teaches the hate he so despised.

        As many others have said, her statement is not an apology; it is the typical response of any person who has been caught and wants to try to wiggle out of it to avoid the consequences of what she has done.

        I for one will not support my child’s application to Boston University and can no longer support the university. I worry about a place that has faculty that wanted to hire this person; her beliefs and statements are not hidden. The only plausible conclusion is that those faculty are either misguided or share her opinions and her divisive agenda.

    3. “Twitter is a particularly challenging medium. I can say from my own experience that it is difficult to maintain civil discourse in 140 characters. If people want to judge Professor Grundy, they should read her academic works.”

      “I deprived them of the nuance and complexity that such subjects always deserve.”

      I personally have not read her academic works but I have full faith in BU’s ability to thoroughly review and recruit excellent, qualified professors (from my experience as a student here at BU). Obviously, Ms. Grundy let her passion get the best of her and she should have chosen her words more wisely.

      By all means feel free to judge a person by some 140-character “tweets” but I will choose to judge her by BU’s review of her academic works and character.

      Oh, and judging by this year’s record number of applicants (41,734 applicants for 4,000 slots) I have a feeling BU won’t be having a hard time finding additional tuition bills to cash.

      1. It’s simple. They recruited, hired, and apparently are keeping a racist, because they don’t want the backlash of being sued. They probably have some idea that it’s cheaper this way, but I wonder at the amount of funds they are going to lose as a result of their low standards.

      2. A person can DEFINE their character in a 140 character tweet. And she did just that. You’d be singing a different tune if it was a white prof saying black males are the problem and I avoid black businesses. At least I’m consistent and hold everyone to the same standard. That would be EQUALLY appalling. Character? Based upon that tweet, she has none.

      3. Really? Her tweets claimed that a whole group of people was the problem with college campuses; that is pure and transparent racism. And why would she say that if she weren’t a racist? Her tweets tell a lot about her character, a fact which you have apparently failed to understand. I think her words were perfectly chosen as they reflected her true nature; passion does not obscure character but reveals it.

  3. Boston University has failed to differentiate between pointed, intelligent commentary and hate speech. Any teacher, regardless of racial, religious, class, or sexual orientation, should be reprimanded for disparaging an entire gender and “race.” Forgiveness may be part of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s philosophy, but as BU touts his affiliation to to incoming freshman every year, this laissez faire attitude does no justice to his legacy. I am also disappointed that BU Today has continued to solely act as the administration’s mouthpiece.

  4. As someone who belongs to this “problematic” white male demographic, I find it embarrassing that Dr. Grundy is allowed to teach at this institution.
    Dr. Grundy has hes free speech protected, but but allowing her to continue teaching at BU is essentially endorsing her racism.
    I’m ashamed of being a BU alumn at this point.

    1. If she wants to boycott white businesses that’s fine. She should go all the way and boycott all white inventions and the products of those inventions including, but not limited to: the printing press, the telephone, the light bulb, the battery, the generator, alternating current, the steam engine, refined petroleum, the automobile, the internal combustion engine, the airplane, the railroad, radio, refrigeration, the electric motor, the vacuum tube, the transistor, television, integrated circuits, the computer, the internet, rocket telemetry and geosynchronous satellites, modern industrial agriculture, to name just a few.

      1. Iska! Do some research outside of what white washed institutions have taught you…
        1) http://www.blackinventions101.com/inventionslist.html
        2) http://atlantablackstar.com/2013/10/23/100-black-inventions-over-the-last-100-years-you-may-not-know-part-1/2/

        Boycotting white businesses that were started and are profiting off white privilege – despite its poisonous grasp on the larger society – isn’t about who invented what, but about who is benefiting from those inventions! Despite the fact that there were white & black inventors of the same intelligence and curiosity, only the white ones get credit and that holds until today.

        Now John Smith, THAT is a factor of the issue Saida spoke on with her original tweets – the entitlement that plagues White America. Grundy’s highlighting of that issue is NOT racism or bigotry, it’s just a fact. Just because it damaged your pride does not mean she should be punished. As an esteemed scholar of African American Studies, she is well suited to speak on race politics. However, you who have never existed outside your bubble of The American Dream are not.

        Please, collect yourselves.

        1. You know outside of your little bubble world it’s quite obvious that you are a racist and hate white people. You hide behind catchy pseudo acedemic terms like “white privilege”, “micro aggression”, etc. but we all know you simply do not like white people and think they are a problem.

        2. White privilege: Definition: Racist phrase used by racists to denigrate any/all success of any Caucasian regardless of monumental obstacles overcome and herculean efforts required to achieve that success. Also used extensively by racists as an excuse for any/all failures by any non-caucasian. It’s actually really a very convenient term…for racists. Frightening times that people buy into it, but again, it’s easy and convenient for people incapable of critical thought. Thanks..I’m collected.

        3. Hey YR, her tweets did not highlight an issue but made an assertion: “white males are THE problem on college campuses”. An assertion is not a logical conclusion based on facts but an assumption based on baseless speculation. Also, all knowing sagacious YR, what makes one qualified to talk about race politics? Do you have such a degree that allows you to? Also, how do you know the experiences and lives of other people whom you have read on the internet? Are these people to whom you are responding privileged, arrogant white boys or hard-working, honest people who earned their place in college? How do you know in which bubble people exist such as John Smith exist? Lastly, are all white people privileged? You, like Grundy, are full of racist assumptions but no facts. Please, check yourself.

          1. There is such a thing as privilege. My theory that it is something called “generational” privilege. Clearly, I have it far better than my parents who had it light years better than their immigrant parents. My Dad said he never saw his father as he worked multiple low wage jobs just trying to put food on the table. And my Dad was the first to attend college in is family but it was a given that is kids would get that opportunity. Sure, I flipped burgers, waited tables, worked in a factory and worked as a janitor to pay for college but I had help from family as well. Each generation potentially stands on the shoulders of their predecessors in a country where opportunity exists and when people work their tails off to build a better future for their heirs. Privilege is race neutral. But then, facts would eliminate an entire field/cottage industry based entirely on victimization, so let’s not even go there and ruin their faux grievance industry.

          2. “Privilege is race neutral”; that was the main point of my comment. Not all white people are privileged just as not all black people are disadvantaged. Similarly, does privilege, as you define it, mean that there is no merit in a “privileged” child’s achievements? I don’t disagree with you, Justin; I only wish to clarify fully what I meant in my original comment.

          3. No, I think we’re 100% in violent agreement, Reason. Clearly on the same page and we apply the same standards to everyone. Unlike those on this page who fail to understand MLKs concept, “I look to a day when people will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.” Clearly some will give Ms. Grundy a pass ONLY because of the color of her skin. The world has gone mad and MLK is turning over in his grave.

        4. YL…You need to tear down the poster of Al Sharpton that hangs over the headboard of your bed and gain some real perspective. Obviously, you are carrying a tremendous weight of animosity on your shoulders…Is it worth it? Hypertension is not a healthy condition to embrace; relax, take a breath, and focus your energy on something positive. Your post reads like a child throwing a temper tantrum. It is understandable to be emotional about this topic, but the stance of Dr. Grundy and that which you have blindly echoed, is pure racism. Ironic that she and you have descended to a level that you claim to despise. Your views are fifty years behind the times.

      2. I think the issue here is that you people don’t even understand what “privilege” is. We’re not talking about privilege in the sense of a person having money and being privileged by it. We’re talking about invisible societal norms that influence people’s lives based on things they can’t control like race, gender, sexual orientation, etc.

        Here’s a video that explains privilege well. I hope you’re willing to be a little open-minded and try to understand the concept. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SdjrA2Jy9UQ

  5. race aside the proof as in the law of numbers. The top 10 large US cities like Dallas have mostly conservative values. While the most volitile, bankrupt, crime ridden cities have liberal, progressive values. Anyone who loves America, doesnt want to brake down crime rates per race in these cities because it may cause more seperation. As i know the proof says any race who raises their children with structure, discipline and consideration can be a healthy part of society.

  6. As an alum, I’m deeply offended by this so-called ‘educator’ and reject the nonsense put forward in the article that somehow she’s got something of value to say – there is NOTHING useful in putting anyone down EVER – it’s basic RIGHT v WRONG, and that’s what has people reacting so viscerally!

    Identity politics is tearing the country apart at the seams and until We the People put a foot down and demand that it stop, it will continue to do so. There aren’t ‘wars’ on anyone in our society … if you really want to find them, they boldly exist in other societies (Islam v anything other than Islam – just go try to be ‘gay’ and see how it works out for you … Asia as a woman – doesn’t work real well there … a ‘free speaker’ in a socialist society – yeah not so much either.) … and STOP blaming Fox News too as it’s simply a outlet that’s much needed to balance off an otherwise terribly biased liberal media that stopped doing its job years ago – don’t go to Fox for 100% of your news, but for heaven’s sake, don’t get 100% of it from Rachel Maddow or John Stewart (who’s an alleged comedian) either!

    We need to STOP making excuses for everything/everyone/bad behavior and accept that when there’s 325m people in a country, not everyone is going to agree on everything AND that there will ALWAYS be a nut job somewhere doing something stupid – enter Dr Grundy, just another nut job!

    Personally, I don’t think we owe Dr Grundy a thing and that becoming faculty at BU is an honor that she doesn’t deserve … we should cut our losses and let her go spread her drivel somewhere else! And to that end, I’ll withhold my financial support from the University until Dr Grundy is either terminated or until I’m otherwise satisfied that there’s somehow been a gross mistake made and she’s right – and that’s my right too.

    And to the Trustees, you may want to go check with that ‘white guy’ who just donated $50m and renamed SMG … see if he feels like he’s a member of the problem population.

    Shameful that BU would allow itself to be dragged into this river of slime.

    1. I’ll stand by everything I’ve said … if she remains on the payroll, I won’t support the University financially.

      Further, I’ll see to it that each of my wife who’s also an alum, three children who are now each alumni in just the last 7 years (and we paid the full tuition for each), my brother and sister who are alums of SMG and Law, as well as my uncle a now retired alum understand exactly where I stand as to this particular professor.

      I’ll go a step further and cancel out my premium tickets to Agganis (about $5k annually) as support for the Men’s Ice Hockey Team … it’s just a bunch of white guys anyway.

      But, hey … you go hug Dr Grundy as I’m sure she needs a friend right about now.

      1. Take a moment to examine our society and see why these (agreed, inappropriate) tweets were made in the first place. The tweets are a reaction to a deeply flawed society, and if you cannot see that, then you are part of the problem. If you’re more upset about some tweets than you are about people being gunned down in the streets, then you’re a racist. I hope you aren’t one of those people.

        1. By imediatly jumping to explain tweets through an examination of our society you completely disregard the personal responsibility that this professor holds. The tweets are offensive. Educated people can disagree on what they should or shouldn’t be termed, but the very idea that a group defined by something as arbitrary as skin color or gender is entirely responsible for the actions of some or even most of its members is ridiculous. Your belief that this is a structural issue is completely dismissive of personal responsibility and critical thinking. Individual analysis of both people and opinions are critical in a college campus. By evaluating a professor’s remarks as a confluence of circumstances, is propagating the same biases that lead to ignorance and racism to begin with.

        2. I can see that society is deeply flawed and that the tweets are a reaction to that. I don’t think anybody would argue that somebody being killed is less important than these tweets

          This doesn’t change the fact that the tweets are in fact racist. How can you begin a conversation when one side condemns the other as the problem

      2. We don’t need all your gangster money in our University anyways. KEEP IT.

        Go watch the Celtics or Bruins or Socks instead. I insist.

        – A QSB* alumn.

      3. APPLAUSE!!! Stick to your promise, Greg! We MUST speak with our wallets on this one because financial hardship is the only thing they understand.

        Sadly, if this had been a WHITE employee saying the exact same words against blacks, they would have been fired IMMEDIATELY. There would have been riots about how racists White people are. Since it is a black saying racist things about Whites then there are nothing but EXCUSES flowing. She never even apologized! She never said the words “I’m sorry” but rather she regrets getting caught. This situation is vile as are the key players in this story.

      4. President Brown is getting his money from the hundreds of International Students that attend BU every year. I don’t think he is concerned about your lack of donation…
        But, I hear ya…

      5. Greg, chill out.

        First of all, if you were really concerned about “racist” professors being welcomed into BU, you would take the time to find out that Grundy isn’t even one of them! Yes, yes, it’s true – there are racist professors at Boston University, the school your close family members graduated from, and you supported the school while they were instated.
        In fact, there have always been racist professors at institutions like Boston University that have made flagrant claims, offended non-white students, yet received continuous support from the Uni..and you, Greg.
        You see, the reason you never heard of these ACTUALLY racist professors is because the people they hurt with their words and actions were not white. Those affected students may have complained via twitter, administrators, or each other, but nobody listened. So, guess what they had to do? Deal with it.

        However, now that a black professor has said something that has offended – though isn’t racist towards – white folks, everyone is threatening retraction of financial support on the grounds that they refuse to support an institution that employs racist professors.

        *sigh* Greg, your reasoning is flawed. I expect better from you as a BU alumni who has been on campus, but I know now your experience was just the typical aloof kind. By all means, don’t support racists, but know who the racists really are.

        1. Racists of all shades never see their own racism or anything as racist coming from the lips of their race. Yeah, that applies to you. Think about it.

          1. No one has brought up the role that political activism plays in nurturing an agenda,
            in this case the agenda of keeping the false narrative of universal white racism alive. I once had to deal with complaints from UMOJA, the BU black student association, that the police were harassing them. As a (white) high-ranking police officer I met with the group who could not tell me how the police were harassing them, just that they were and no white person could understand. I asked for examples and even the students realized it wasn’t plausible: “they were driving down the street while I was walking;” “they looked at me;” “they turned their siren on as they went down Comm Ave.”

            When I followed up with their president a few days later, he told me that the group had decided I was white and couldn’t understand. Okay, I thought, I’ll ask a black officer to meet with them, try to identify the problem, and suggest solutions to the department. He was rejected because he was “an oreo, and “the token n—er”

            I asked a professor of law and sociology what I was doing wrong and why, when I would have done anything to address a problem that the students could articulate, they didn’t seem tot want to take any steps to do so. He told me about political activism: Its goal is NOT to find solutions, not to listen and speak and work toward understanding. The goal of political activism is to keep your issue alive, whether valid or not.

            This is what I see in Professor Grundy’s tweets, in her Statement, and in the false, historically inaccurate, and sweeping generalizations and use of PC jargon by her apologists. It is an agenda of political activism, not of education and of the broadening of minds.

  7. Perhaps Miss Grundy’s orientation at BU should include a visit to the Robert Gould Shaw memorial at Beacon and Park Street. Colonel Shaw was, in the words of Miss Grundy, a “white masculinity problem”, who along with 350,000 other wmp’s gave their lives during the Civil War to end slavery and create a environment here in America where individuals such as herself are free to say or write things using broad-brushed racial or gender biased language.

    1. Important comment. The current wave of ignorance and rage directed at whites, who are grouped together and blamed for racial problems, happens without even a hint of recognition that whites have also stood beside blacks — and lost their lives — to solve them. It’s the 21st century and time to acknowledge gains as well. We live in a nation where it is against the law to be racist. Who made that law a reality? White “problem” guys, perhaps? White women? You bet. Standing with Blacks, Asians, Latinos. We need to keep building in that direction, not tearing it down for personal gain. Most of my college-aged students don’t think like Ms. Grundy, thank the stars, and I’m convinced they will spend their time building a stronger, more interesting, and inclusive world, one that Grundy seems to reject out-of-hand. Tell the whole story, not your favorite part, Ms. Grundy.

    2. Yeah…maybe using “fought to end slavery in America” as an example of white excellence isn’t the best example…you know…given that slavery in America was perpetuated by white men. Saying “look at these brave men who cleaned up the spill they helped create and benefit from” isn’t actually all that awe inspiring.

      1. Heres where you mess up in that comment is that you group every white man together. I am not responsible for the actions of any other white person just because I am white. The white people who fought to end slavery were not the same people as those who fought to keep it. I don’t have any responsibility to clean up any mess that I didn’t make. Thats like saying we as americans are responsible for cleaning up any mistake our president makes. Whether you agree with the action or not, you’re expected to think its your fault? No. We are individuals. Grouping based on skin color only tears everyone down and degrades them.

        1. “Not all white people.” Just like “not all men rape,” so rape isn’t an issue? You need to realize that when people talk about this issue, they are not singling out you or every single white person. They are saying that as a whole white masculinity (which, as someone pointed out is a concept, not a literal white male) holds the power and privilege in this country and it results in other minority groups not having the same opportunities or equality. Why is this so hard to understand and acknowledge? It’s not white men’s fault they are privileged, but by acknowledging it they can try to make sure others don’t suffer because of it.

          1. Rape is an issue. Men are not. I’m not saying there is no issue here I’m saying the sooner we as a whole stop grouping people in this divisive manner, the sooner we can collaborate on a solution. White men feeling guilty because they are born a certain way doesn’t help anyone.

          2. You are just like Grundy; “it’s not white men’s fault they are privileged”. You are making a NEGATIVE GENERALIZATION about a WHOLE GROUP OF PEOPLE. Why is that so hard to understand and acknowledge? Also, this country is a nation of immigrants, many of whose ancestors were white; tell me, with all your wonderful acumen, were these immigrants privileged because they were white? Would they have left Europe if they were so privileged as you assert? My father is such an immigrant, from a communist country in fact where no white men but the dictator and his close party members are privileged. Does his being white make him privileged?

          3. You didn’t read Saide’s other tweets. She says the same thing about white males. That is singling out every single one. She made dozens of tweets over many months. Saide is the very definition of a racist. Get over it.

  8. “Every MLK week I commit myself to not spending a dime in white-owned businesses. And every year I find it nearly impossible.”
    Perhaps she does not notice the irony that Dr. King would have probably vomited when reading this.

    Given all the beautiful work that BU has led throughout the past decades in building a respectful and inclusive community, it makes me deeply sad to think of how many steps back we take as a community in accepting an internationally acclaimed bigot for a teaching position. A university that housed visionaries like Dr King and Dean Thurman is doing a deep injustice to their names in keeping her on staff.

    I cannot help but wonder what the university or the African Studies department would have done if her comments had read: “Commit myself to not spending a dime in black-owned businesses.”

    The argument that this is “free speech” is as pathetic as her comments. The first amendment protects her against government censorship. In no way does it protect her from scrutiny against her academic, personal and professional integrity.

    1. Oh Alumnus, where do I start?

      Okay, let me begin by stating one simple fact: All sentiments Black America has towards White America are justified, regardless of the form of execution. (Are they all excusable? Well that’s a separate discussion.)

      However, NOTHING that White America feels towards black people is justified. None of it. White people were never stolen from their place of origin, enslaved, and abused for hundreds of years.
      SO if a black person is commenting on the injustice they and other members of the black community face OR on the politics that guide that injustice, that should never be punishable because it is true.

      Therefore Alumnus, if a white professor was to commit themselves to never spending a dime on black-owned businesses, that’s coming from a place of prejudice AND will definitely hurt those typically small businesses. So it’s racist.
      However, should Grundy not spend her money on white-owned businesses, it is out of acknowledgement of the fact that their money is indirectly made off the establishment of an institution whose foundation was slavery.She is justified. You are not.

      The response of the African Studies Department would be to ignore you because they would not want to entertain such racist ideas.

      1. ” White people were never stolen from their place of origin, enslaved, and abused for hundreds of years.” – This statement shows your ignorance not only of history, but issues that still continue today.

        1. YR is talking out of his nether regions. The very word “slave” comes from the massive enslavement of Slavic people (whites). Sheesh. All people practiced slavery. African kindoms where enslaving and transporting long before white Europeans ever visited. Muslims were enslaving for centuries before Europeans shut them down by force.

          Only two cultures ever legally ended slavery before the modern era: China and European.

        2. Thank you P Taylor. It is truly shocking to read the depth of ignorance in some comments on this thread.

          YR, given the place where you are posting, you have likely had opportunities that are beyond those of the vast majority of the planet’s 7 billion. Yet, your glaring inability to pick up a history book, or even the newspaper for that matter, is an embarrassment to your education. Have you read about the perpetual troubles our species has had with human trafficking? Or the slave labor that impregnates large portions of the textile, manufacturing and agricultural industries world-wide?
          Also, for someone so passionate about African Studies, did you ever bother truly studying slavery, empirically and pragmatically? By that, I mean from actual books and articles rather than blog posts.
          Prepare yourself for a treat YR, human history is much more nuanced than the black and white poison someone unfortunately fed you.
          Also, please don’t take my word for it. Dig in for yourself. Pick any continent you’d like in any time period of time. You will find systematic problems that are both depressing and infuriating.

          Lastly, I cannot help but notice the deep irony regarding the tweet you defend. I had to go all the way back to 1930s Germany to find this level of public bigotry “Deutsche! Wehrt Euch! Kauft nicht bei Juden!”
          Charming.

        3. Absolutely. Ms. Grundy should be focusing her anger on the Africans and the Muslim merchants who hunted down, tortured, and sold the ancestors of Black Americans. She can do so in Africa. I suggest she move her studies there.

      2. “All sentiments Black America has towards White America are justified.”

        Holy crikey, life must be really easy when you don’t have to waste time thinking about your opinions. Check your ignorance privilege.

      3. 1.25 million Europeans (including some White Americans) were enslaved by the Barbary pirates…you’re a clown.

        Not to mention the fact that there were Black slave owners who had Black and White indentured servants.

      4. It appears you are arguing that people should be able to make statements of fact in this country without fear of being labeled racist–even if those statements are perceived by some as coming from a place of bias or prejudice, and even if they are necessarily degrading or injurious to a given race or group. Unfortunately, many do not play by that very simple and straightforward standard. Next time a white makes reference to the disproportionate number of crimes committed by black males in the context of justifying the shooting of an unarmed black male by law enforcement, the non-existence of the two parent family in most black communities as the reason black males are disproportionately incarcerated in this country, or the extensive dependence of black Americans on the welfare state as an argument that all that can be done to improve the lot of blacks in this country has been tried and failed, I would ask that you remember that you have argued that truth should in fact be a defense to a label of racism. I suspect that is going to be very difficult for yourself and others, but those are the rules you are proposing.

        Of course, the other option is to recognize that discussions about race in this country are complex, and therefore not easily susceptible of generalizations. Moreover, generalizations make constructive dialogue difficult because they inflame factional divisions that have existed for generations, and prevent moving past prejudice, resentment and blaming to find solutions to real problems of social and economic inequality.

        Unfortunately, it appears that some prefer to have option one for themselves and other non-whites, and option two for whites. That simply is never going to be acceptable in this country. Eventually there will be a substantial backlash toward that kind of double standard. In fact, I believe that is happening now with this controversy. The very bad result from that occurrence could be that whites are compelled to begin once again to think of themselves as white rather than simply members of a diverse society. Many non-whites may believe that to already be the case, but the fact is the overwhelming majority of whites do not think of their race first when thinking about their place in society. Some will assert that is the very nature of the privilege being white affords, but what they will be missing is the point that if whites are perceived as the enemy rather than a partner for advancing a society that, as Dr. king envisioned, is truly color blind, then the advancement of non-whites is far more likely to stall due to white disengagement and resistance, and many more generations of blacks will face the probabilities of incarceration and poverty as a result.

        Whites and non-whites can work together to build a just society where equal opportunity is more than a platitude, or we can be divided by defending hate speech and bigotry under a fog of selective truth. Which do you suppose is best for our society? It is apparent that Dr. Grundy has the obviously wrong answer to that question, and accordingly should not be in a place to educate youth.

  9. I think it is important to note that twitter is hardly a platform for intelligent dialogue, as Timothy Longman said. Some of the tweets that Ms. Grundy posted are clearly devoid of forethought and probably shouldn’t be taken too seriously. For example, the tweet quoted about slavery is painfully incorrect to anyone who has read the Wikipedia page.

    Professor Longman also said that the media is suggesting that white people are “somehow” persecuted minority. That’s not the issue. The issue is that there is a double standard in the way we communicate about race. If Ms. Grundy was a white woman tweeting the moral equivalent of her statements about black men, we all know she would be removed from the University.

  10. Tweets very insensitive. Especiallyt that she is a professor. Let’s see how alumnus donations/ gifts to BU fare.. Bet if she stays the donations will drop. Real shame on BU. BU would never hire a memeber of KKK!

    1. The petition to support her has far more votes than the petition to boot her so no… BU will not suffer.
      Also, the KKK was an organization that commited horrible crimes and torture against black individuals. Can we not compare tweeting to all of their terror? It’s clearly not a comparable issue DAVE

      1. It just goes to show that academia in general has socially engineered almost an entire generation of minorities/self hating whites to be racists. Anyone supporting this women is a racist.

  11. Seems to me a compassionate, empathetic, well educated person might recognize our history of human ignorances for what they are/were…ignorance.

    Wouldn’t it be really cool if some/many Americans and other free people were willing to recognize and accept that mankind, aka the human species, is constantly evolving, learning from our ignorance and taking affirmative steps to correct the ignorances some or many humans embrace?

    Sadly, slavery and racism are human ignorances that many humans once embraced and encouraged.

    Sadly, today there are Americans who obviously prefer to focus on the ignorance/mistakes of our human past, causing continued resentment, pain and mistrust, and in my opinion placing obstacles for healing now and in our future.

    #protect-kids-from-irresponsible-caregivers

    1. #learn-how-to-use-a-hashtag

      This mythical “racist past” of yours is only about 70 years in the past. Not even the length on one human life. And it’s not “our human past.” Keep that for yourself white man, don’t drag others into your gross heritage.
      Sorry the black population hasn’t “healed” from being beaten and bruised for over a century. Maybe the current social climate is keeping that wound ajar, not just their rancor. Maybe. Who knows. I wonder why they’re still bitter. Who could possibly think racism is still hanging in there? Hmm

      1. How do you even know the person who commented above you was white? and why the hell should it matter if he’s white black or blue?

        This is the s*** that the argument in this country has reduced people to.

        People can be mad all they want but tell me who anger has ever helped? You can sit in bitter resentment over the unjust harm done to you but who does that help? Do you plan on just being angry for the rest of eternity or do you have some kind of real solution?

      2. I love that you need to spam every comment to protect this “educator”, and judging from your comments, seem to share quite a few of the racist and sexist views of this possibly soon to be professor. Now I am someone who has quite a thick skin, and do not like when every nonpolitically correct comment is pointed out and put on blast. However, what this woman said was 100% racist and sexist, and obviously she is not level headed enough to provide a fair classroom setting for her students. The answer to fix racism is not more racism, just like the solution to violence is not more violence, and I’m sorry, but you sure are not fit to be preaching about the struggles of the “black population” in any regard.

  12. I think the important thing to recognize in Ms. Grundy’s social media outbursts is that they do not constitute the reasoned statements of a scholar who is grounded in history or a person who is contributing to a solution: they are nothing more than mob mentality pitchforks meant to reinforce anger and perpetuate societal divisions. Where is our civilization going if this is what we are getting from what are supposed to be our best minds?

  13. As a BU PARENT OF 2015 & 2018 I am deeply offended and concerned about her comments. I agree with BU parent 2016 100% and think she is ‘poison in the well’. She is entitled to free seech but she CANNOT be fair/impartial with respect to her students. I believe President Brown has missed to opportunity to show that BU will not stand for racism of any kind and that with respect to social media, expects greater responsibility from those who represent BU. Dr King would be disappointed … Those comments are narrow minded and divisive. DR BROWN NEEDS TO DISMISS HER and APOLOGIZE to the BU Community. I stopped stopped writing my Class of 2015 ‘gift check’ and am advising my children to do the same . Our white son is a freshman and I now have regrets he didn’t choose another university . I WAS confident in Predident Brown’s leadership . Now I have my doubts.

    1. I’m a black student here at BU, and I actually feel sorry for President Brown. He seems to be in a catch 22 situation especially with how Tito Jackson summoned him to testify about BU policy on diversity. See below:

      http://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2014/11/24/subpoena/VYjJ19rOqcZwGWp38YjV1M/story.html

      http://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2014/11/28/moves-quash-summons-compel-brown-appear-before-city-council/3dLMJcmm2pmToRom3uGVSK/story.html

      http://www.bu.edu/today/2014/university-welcomes-discussion-with-city-council/

      http://www.bu.edu/today/2014/city-council-agrees-to-reschedule-diversity-discussion/

      http://dailyfreepress.com/2014/12/20/bu-president-brown-testifies-at-city-council-hearing-about-campus-diversity/

      I really wish Boston City Councilor Tito Jackson would weigh in on Ms. Grundy’s comments and professor Brown’s decision to stand by her.

      1. Brown could make a clear stand for diversity as opposed to kowtowing to the absurd progressive liberal notion of “diversity” by forcefully condemning the cartoonish ignorance of this ridiculous pseudo-intellectual “academic”.

  14. Why can’t the University see racism for what it is. White, Black, Gay, Straight, Hispanic, and so on..,…does not matter. Grundy’s remarks a blattently racist. If a white anglo saxon male made such categorical statements about blacks, recall Jimmy the Greek (not anglo saxon but caucasoid). He was rightly villified and fired for his one size fits all comments about Black physiques having evolved to a superior form in performance of feats of athleticism. People are reacting because if it walks like a duck, talks like a duck and looks like a duck then its a duck. Professor Grundy’s tweets (124 words or less), are racist. Apologizing is a start….defending racists comments is highly objectionable and does not belong in any setting, Educational, Governmental, Private or Public. The Constitution defends free speech, defending racist comments in the name of free speech is not the President’s job. The Office Of The President is responding because it is a problem for the University. Dr. Grundy’s racists views on the subject of “White Men ARE the problem”, are likely not going to change. As a Jewish man, and having experienced anti-sematism in blatant and nuanced forms, the sad and simply truth, is the seeds of racism and hate do not grow into flowers of deep compassion and understanding of all people regardless of race, creed, nationality, ethnicity, sexual orientation, religious beliefs and so on. Her comments are very disturbing and upsetting and should not be condoned by the University or its professors. The University is affording broad lattitude where had a white male or female made similar comments about blacks, they would be removed from the University or not permitted to start their tenured track position.

  15. The university has done nothing but defend “Professor” Grundy’s tweets. Had a white man made blanket statements about women or blacks, no question he would be fired by now, as he should be. There is no place in academia for someone who consistently makes unintelligible tweets derogatory towards anyone. Instead, Grundy has not even apologized for her statements.

    And to propaganda machine that is BU Today, don’t blame Fox News for this one. Countless news outlets have reported this story and no one is denying that it is racist except for BU Today.

    1. Choose your news sources better. Fox News took these tweets out of the little context that existed and made them look even worse.

      Am I offended by any of the tweets? Yes. But I want to understand where Professor Grundy is coming from. Everyone has biases and prejudices, airing them out was a mistake, but I would rather have a discussion about race on campus then dismiss Dr. Grundy, whom the Sociology department, CAS, and the Provost’s office saw fit to hire.

      And doesn’t it say something that some commenters are reacting based on race? I’m White, but that doesn’t mean I have to be offended to the point of blind rage.

      1. And you don’t see how that’s a double standard? It’s ok for every one other than white people to be offended by racist remarks and get to the point of “blind rage” and you call that justified. It’s hypocritical and it does nothing to further the conversation, leaves an entire portion of the population out of the discussion simply because of the color of their skin (and I’m sorry but descendants are never responsible for the actions of their ancestors), and permits racism when it comes from anything other than white people. And somehow that’s equal…. Why do so many white people participate in all of this ethno-masochism?

        1. O come on, if people targeted by racist (truly racist) comments were to lash out like most people are on this comment page, then no one would claim racism has ended in America.

          How is it ethno-maschism (which is not a real word) NOT to get up in arms about 140 characters? Why do you feel that all whites should get mad about this? First of all, race is a human construct, there’s nothing to be gained by pitting one ‘race’ against another.

          Dr. Grundy wasn’t blaming YOU for slavery, but she was commenting on the different LEGAL approach taken in the Early Modern period, when slaves could no longer escape that status as they could, for example, in Ancient Rome.

          140 characters never tells the whole story. To get upset without understanding is the problem here.

          1. She said that White male STUDENTS were a problem population. She also said she would boycott White businesses during the week MLK day falls on.

            So yes, by her own words she is attacking Whites in the present day.

            She’s a bigot and not to mention totally ignorant. How can someone with a PhD in that subject not know about chattel slavery in Africa and the Arab Muslim world?

      2. “Am I offended by any of the tweets? Yes. But I want to understand where Professor Grundy is coming from. Everyone has biases and prejudices, airing them out was a mistake, but I would rather have a discussion about race on campus then dismiss Dr. Grundy, whom the Sociology department, CAS, and the Provost’s office saw fit to hire.”

        So, a discussion of race wasn’t/isn’t possible without hiring a ridiculous, childish, ignorant, irresponsible jackass to a faculty position? Ridiculous.

        “And doesn’t it say something that some commenters are reacting based on race?”

        No, it doesn’t ‘say anything’. Race is a volatile topic, and transparently racist commentary is sure to generate all sorts of responses.

        “I’m White, but that doesn’t mean I have to be offended to the point of blind rage.”

        Blind rage? Blind rage is what drives the sort of irresponsible and ignorant rubbish Grundy spews in her tweets. It doesn’t require an ounce of emotion to condemn such reprehensible behavior. Ridiculous crackpots like Grundy are academic celebrities everywhere these days, but that doesn’t mean that serious people have to tolerate or countenance the rising idiocracy.

  16. These comments are racist, any comment that degrades people because of race is racism. I am shocked that BU has not taken a stronger stand on this issue, especially with race being such a challenging issue in our society today. My son was considering an application to BU, but now that may not occur. We will wait and see if BU takes a stand about this incoming professor’s status. If she is still hired as a professor, my son will NOT apply to Boston University.

    1. Hello Marcie!

      You don’t understand what racism is! Get back to this topic when you do.
      AND if you don’t want your son applying to BU because of racist professors, boy do I have news for you! I don’t want to burst your bubble but racism on campus is not coming from Saida Grundy..

      PS. note part 2 of the definition of racism. There is no policy in place that harms white people at BU.

      1. Hello YR!

        I hope you realize that no one buys into the new “its not possible to be racist against white people” definition, outside of your ilk. Even taking the “systematic” part into account – have you ever traveled to Miami, New Orleans, Detroit, Los Angeles, Baltimore?

        Would it be theoretically possible to systematically oppress white people in these cities run by minorities? Yes.

      2. I must of missed something.

        “There is no policy in place that harms white people at BU”.

        Is there a policy in place that harms “non-white people” at BU? Clearly there shouldn’t be. But, if there is it should be addressed. Can you direct me to that policy?

        Or, are you trying to say there needs to be a policy in place that harms “white people”? What would this policy say and under what circumstances?

  17. In Dr. Grundy’s statement she doesn’t even apologize for being a hateful racist. She only apologizes that she didn’t express her racist views with more nuance. She is a racist, with prejudice against all white masculinity and all white-owned businesses. How can anyone see those comments as anything but racist? It is sad that Boston University is still supporting this individual.

  18. Beyond being racist, and misandrist (hatred of males), many of the comments exposed are wrong. Opinion is one thing, Europeans/ whites have been behind some really bad things over the centuries. But as a professor of sociology, she should have some sort of basic knowledge of history of the topics she is speaking of. I suggest she start with the basics and go to Wikipedia for the history of slavery. Then she can use the library, where one will read that slavery as an institution has been around for thousands of years; AND is not just a white male construct. She should familiarize herself with 1st Louisiana Native Guard (CSA), Armand Lanusse, Nat Butler, John Carruthers Stanly. She should also study the history of slavery in Africa, she would understand that Niger, Mauritania, Ghana, have only made slavery a crime only in the past 30 years.

    1. Yes, the appalling ignorance and pathetic verbal skills on display provide true insight towards Grundy’s intelligence and education. Yet another ludicrous crackpot at the top of a crackpot field.

  19. As an alum, I find the universities response to this pathetic. If Ms. Grundy is a so-called scholar and researcher I challenge her to produce any credible scientific evidence of her assertions. Until then, every single request for money from the university will be thrown in trash as long as she is on staff.

    When donations stop rolling in, they will hopefully realize the double-standard they have applied here. If she were white and made those comments about black men, she would be fired before she even woke up in the morning, no questions asked.

    1. I will not be donating to the university for as long as she is employed there. I’m not as wealthy as the Questroms but, still, a donation is a donation.

      My guess is her tenure at BU will be short lived as she will have a hard time coping amongst a large populous at BU of the very group that she detests. Did she even visit the campus before applying for the job?

  20. There is no place in education for any kind of racism. If the roles were reversed and this was a white professor using similar language about black students, they would be terminated. The same should happen to this professor. Until we hold every individual to appropriate standards, we will continue to create divisiveness and animosity in our society.

    1. It is sad that President Brown did not have the courage not to hire this woman. It is sickening that not only B.U. and Brown, and other colleges put up with the crazy progressive notions, that most of the liberals have. They seem to scorn anyone with religious beliefs or have high moral standards. How did they become that way? It is probably because these colleges hired these zealous people and allowed them to teach in our colleges.

  21. Frankly, as a BU alum and parent of a current BU student, I am appalled both at the response of BU and also many others who have gotten so mad about these tweets.

    First, this is definitive proof that the BU administration only offers lip service to actually achieving any kind of diversity at BU, especially after the scathing local news reports on the lack of diversity at BU. What kind of faculty or students who are POC will want to come to BU now, at a place where someone calling white men on their racism is labeled racist and is given far more attention than the actual problem of racism itself. Obviously the money of racist white alums matters far more than the stated goal of achieving diversity (as witnessed by the change in BU’s official response once the white racists started writing in to complain).

    And this is complete nonsense that BU is against all forms of stereotypes based on race, as claimed by Brown in his letter. The only time that the president has issued a letter condemning any kind of racism is when a black woman points out the existence of institutionalized nature of racism in contemporary society. He didn’t bother to write a letter when the provost, Jean Morrison, responded to a media query about why BU has only a 3% black undergrad population by saying that the “pool of academically qualified black students is slim.” This statement raised a lot of concern and was viewed as racist in its stereotyping by many faculty and BU undergrads (see the twitter hashtag #amigoodenough). In short, it’s perfectly fine for the provost to make sweeping statements about the nature of black students in a negative way but absolutely unacceptable when a POC does the equivalent about white people.

    Finally, and speaking as a white man, the only reason I can offer for why there has been so much outrage over Grundy’s twitter comments is either because white people refuse to accept the existence of racism (thus she’s the racist for saying we’re bad) or because they don’t want to admit that white people are the source of racism and/or benefit from racism. In either case, these are precisely the types of people who should be exposed to differences of opinion so that they can begin to see what is really going on in society, no matter how uncomfortable it might be for their white privilege. However, by taking this action of classifying these tweets as racist themselves, Brown et al. are contributing to a climate where we can not have any honest discussions about the nature of racism in the US because to do so is viewed as racist in and of itself. Nice one Bob — a white man convening with the majority white men on your board of trustees, listening to all the white male alumni whose feelings are hurt by some hard truths.

    1. First, whites did not create racism. Whites did not create slavery. Whites aren’t responsible for every bigoted word. Whites aren’t the only people on the planet who do any of these things. You can get off your soap box and use that scholarly mind of yours to do some research on what was said. It wasn’t a tirade about who’s racist and who’s not. She said slavery is a white problem (that only white people made slavery a life long thing instead of temporary) which is completely false, and that college age white men are the problem on college campuses. How you managed to misinterpret that I’ll never understand. Are you one of those people that believes only white people can be racist? No, racism is racism no matter which race starts it and no matter which race it is directed at. The fact is, if she was white, she’d have been fired. You can’t protect hateful speech because of the color of the bigot’s skin.

      1. White or Black or Arab is irrelevant. In Western culture, slavery became a lifetime and inheritable status. That’s the fact.
        I don’t understand the context of the college men comment.

        1. What, Recent Grad!? Your “act” is not a fact. Slavery began, was perpetuated, and was an “inheritable status” in many cultures long before it was exported from Africa to the Western hemisphere. Whites were slaves, Blacks were slaves, Asians were slaves.

    2. Thank you Bruce, for an actual intelligent response amidst all these moronic helicopter parents complaining about race issues they barely understand.

      1. I love the “holier than thou” that are the only individuals on this planet that understand race issues. But what if you’re wrong? What if the tripe you’ve been fed for 45 years is actually causing a deterioration in race relations? What if critical race theory is all a bunch of BS? What if a racist is a racist is a racist, up to and including the good professor in question?

        And by the way, Bruce merely did a good job of obfuscating the point. His response was quite less than “intelligent.”

        1. No you just don’t get….if you’re caucasian and succeeded after working 5 minimum wage jobs to struggle through college, paying off student loans, nearly going bankrupt two or three times, working 14 hour days for years…and finally succeeding. It’s because you’re white. Why can’t you understand that? You should take these courses to understand that….apparently there’s an entire industry that’s sprung up to educate you on that and if you don’t understand that false narrative, YOU are the racist, not THEM! That’s the amusing part of this field of “study.” Not sure why I studied engineering when I could get a faux degree in this field!

    3. “Finally, and speaking as a white man, the only reason I can offer for why there has been so much outrage over Grundy’s twitter comments is either because white people refuse to accept the existence of racism (thus she’s the racist for saying we’re bad) or because they don’t want to admit that white people are the source of racism and/or benefit from racism”

      I agree and disagree with this statement:

      I strongly disagree with this “they don’t want to admit that white people are the source of racism”.

      Racism is the belief that all members of each race possess characteristics or abilities specific to that race, especially so as to distinguish it as inferior or superior to another race or races. Racism is a belief, and ANYONE can be racist based on their belief.

      It is one thing to be passionate about issues stemming from a discriminatory system, but you should be held accountable when you hold certain views about a group of people.

      I agree with your the latter part – “benefit from racism”. This is true of the lingering effects of a discriminatory system based on policies instituted by racists. You can’t right a discriminatory system by replacing it with another, even with the right intentions, which is why I do not support affirmative action. There are other ways to level the playing field, without doing so on on the backs of others.

      Prejudice on the other hand is a big problem that needs to get far more attention. Look at our law enforcement today – think Freddie Gray, Michael Brown etc

    4. “What kind of faculty or students who are POC will want to come to BU now, at a place where someone calling white men on their racism is labeled racist and is given far more attention than the actual problem of racism itself?”

      Anyone who isn’t a ridiculous race obsessed liberal? Anyone who can see the transparently ignorant racism of Grundy’s absurd tweets?

      “He didn’t bother to write a letter when the provost, Jean Morrison, responded to a media query about why BU has only a 3% black undergrad population by saying that the “pool of academically qualified black students is slim.” This statement raised a lot of concern and was viewed as racist in its stereotyping by many faculty and BU undergrads (see the twitter hashtag #amigoodenough). In short, it’s perfectly fine for the provost to make sweeping statements about the nature of black students in a negative way but absolutely unacceptable when a POC does the equivalent about white people.”

      A ridiculous false analogy. Morrison’s statement is absolute indisputable fact. No serious analyst or commentator has any doubts about the fact that the pool of qualified black applicants for college level education is slim much less for an academically competitive school. It’s not debatable or controversial except to a leftist race huckster who sees offense everywhere. Grundy’s tweets on the other hand are absurd, ignorant, racist stupidity of the first order. There’s nothing sophisticated, nuanced, or misinterpreted. It’s the same tired childish non-serious non-academic garbage that is pervasively dominant to the point that it defines the nature of critical race theory and it’s diseased offshoots throughout the humanities and even legal studies.

      Obviously to you, an “honest” discussion of race involves conservatives and anyone connected to objective reality shutting up and credulously and uncritically allowing leftist, racialist, moral relativist screeds go unchallenged. Disgusting Holderian blinkered nonsense.

  22. Dr. Grundy chose to publish these tweets and, in doing so, made them a part of her academic scholarship. It would be irresponsible to ignore them because they offer very honest insight into her beliefs. Mastering social media is challenging. Professors (like all of us) have a responsibility to THINK before they post something online – something that Dr. Grundy failed to do. They also have to accept the judgement that comes with sharing opinions publicly, for better or worse. After reading her tweets, I’m convinced that she wasn’t looking to inform or incite meaningful discourse. She was angry and that anger comes through loud and clear. I hope she uses a different technique in her classroom. The good news is that if your child is at BU and might end up in her classroom, you know exactly what you’re getting and can choose to steer clear. Hopefully my alma mater will do a better job of vetting new hires in the future – choosing candidates who are able to celebrate diversity while honestly dissecting issues surrounding race.

  23. the funny thing about the comments on this article: of the many inveighing against Dr. Grundy, they offer some pretty appalling grammar and astonishingly limited capacity for critical thinking; at best, they’re prime examples of mansplaining.

    1. You really dug deep into the thesaurus to appear so well spoken there…You know what else lacked critical thinking and proper forethought? Dr. Grundy’s tweets.

      I’ll reiterate some of the comments from above, and perhaps add some proper grammar so that you can feel a bit better:
      Dr. Grundy tweeted out racially charged and offensive sentiments. While they may be her personal beliefs, as an educator she should think long and hard prior to making such blanket statements. Alumni and much of the current student body are appalled by the lack of proper response by Boston University.

      Now that we solved the grammar problem we can go back to focusing on the real issue at hand.

  24. As a Latino male I find her comments disturbing. If another male that happens to be white, Latino or Asian would make the same kind of statements she did, they would be asking for their heads and would be fired!

    Can’t wait to discuss this with my daughter and I’m glad she’s graduation this weekend!!

  25. I’d just like to say that Grundy was not being racist. Racism is the result of prejudice and power combined. As a person of color and a woman, she holds two identities that are systematically oppressed in our society today, and therefore doesn’t have the societal power that whites hold. People of color are paid less, denied access to jobs and schools, incarcerated at a much higher rate and are literally being killed by police daily. These are all evidence of institutionalized racism.

    Because she is a person of color, a member of a group systematically oppressed, her comments held bias and discrimination, but not racism. And frankly, I think white men should listen to her anger rather than telling her to be quiet. There are many facts to back up the position of privilege white males hold, and specifically white college males; for example in campus rapes reported, more than 60 percent of offenders according to the Department of Justice are WHITE MEN.

    1. First, I suggest you read the actual definition of racism, not the version you were spoon fed in your sociology class. Second, I suggest you view the FBI Uniform Crime Statistics Reports. The dirty little secret – the actual “war” is on whites.

    2. Systematic Racism =/= Racism. It is pretty much the only thing I learned in my sociology course at BU aside from “men are always the problem”.

    3. It is funny how the one fact you cite to support your opinion actually falls apart when you get real data. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, whites represent 61% of college students. Therefore, even a basic stats course from BU would confirm that the rape statistic you quoted is exactly in line with the expected value based on enrollment rates. Put it another way, on college campuses white men rape women at the same rate as other races. Which disproves your point.

      Also, even if you don’t want to label it racism based on your convoluted definition, she is certainly biased and prejudiced against white men. Bias, prejudice, racism, whatever you want to call it against any one group of people is wrong for anyone, let alone a supposed learned person who is charged with teaching our kids.

      1. Great point. It is a matter of whether or not the rate is disproportionate to the given population. Not to mention, I’m not sure how this one potential point would have been enough to solidify a biased argument against ll white men…

  26. Racism is racism. If she was white, she’d be out of a job. But apparently, racism from non-whites is protected speech. I’m not saying she should be fired, but you can’t fire people for racist remarks when they’re white then call it protected speech when they’re not. Racism shouldn’t be tolerated in any shape or form.

    1. Adam…stop trying logic. There are some that clearly want a double standard. You just don’t “get” it…you and I are clearly the problem as opposed to these bigots who just apparently understand at a different level. What’s comical (or really sad), is that you could probably go to a racist White supremicist site or even the KKK and they would also try to explain that they aren’t racist..just look at our data, etc….they are just trying to educate, etc. Two sides of the same coin. A racist is a racist. One is justifiably derided and the other is somehow lauded with tenure, “educating” your kids on your dime. This country is doomed.

    2. I think we can be more specific: Racism from a black person is protected speech. I doubt an Hispanic or Asian person would get a pass on the type of invective found in Ms. Grundy’s tweets.

    1. Really? Race theory? Racism is very simple and needs no “theory.” Racism is not dependent on having power, it is based on categorizing any person solely on the color of his or her skin and by attributing characteristics to that “category” as a whole.

    2. Sure Rosemary. You are now the official arbiter of all race-related discussion. Have you ever thought about what you actually say? Unbelievable.

    3. Pulling the definition from the dictionary, I can certainly see how Dr. Grundy’s tweets can be thought of as racist. Refer to the 3rd definition; just don’t stop at the first.
      1. a belief or doctrine that inherent differences among the various human racial groups determine cultural or individual achievement, usually involving the idea that one’s own race is superior and has the right to dominate others or that a particular racial group is inferior to the others.
      2. a policy, system of government, etc., based upon or fostering such a doctrine; discrimination.
      3. hatred or intolerance of another race or other races.

    4. “Race THEORY?”… Actually, her statements exhibit racist thinking. And people understand real racism a lot better than you’d ever admit to. Suddenly you have to black to understand racism and prejudice?

  27. Those of us who are willing to address the challenges posed by racial discrimination in America acknowledge the fact that racism exists in this country and that it’s always been a sensitive topic of discussion that many would rather keep tucked away under a shelf: The very reason it still exists in the 21st century. I would hope that when one selects to discuss racial issues, she/he does so in a productive manner that also encourages others to join into the discussion. It’s the discussion that’s lacking. There are millions of well-meaning Americans who want to live in a world where everyone is free and treated equally, but there are also many in this country who are ignorant of the racial injustices that exist within the country, the very injustices that they would themselves not condone. It’s through discussions and not violence or cheap talks, that the issues can be brought into light and addressed appropriately. DR. Grundy’s tweets make me very uncomfortable. The lack of professionalism and the mediocre undertones are not representative of what I’ve known of the community that she’ll be joining when she starts classes this summer. I’m a minority student at BU and for all that it’s worth, this is a welcoming university that not only embraces diversity, but also upholds superior academic and social standards. DR. Grundy’s rights within the laws and social parameters must be acknowledged and respected. She has a right to speak her mind. She should not be let go for the unproductive tweets. Instead, she should be warranted the chance to come to the right place, an opportunity that should not be denied of her. A learning environment. A place where she’ll have vast opportunities to learn and interact with a wonderful group of faculty and student community. Boston University.

    1. “DR. Grundy’s rights within the laws and social parameters must be acknowledged and respected. She has a right to speak her mind. She should not be let go for the unproductive tweets.”

      No one has questioned her right to free speech whatsoever. The entirely separate issue being discussed is the propriety of hiring a transparently ignorant racist to a faculty position. She fails to meet the absolute minimum standards of decorum, respect, and open mindedness in professional discourse for a serious institution. Unfortunately, humanities departments at even far more respected institutions than BU were taken over by the inmates long ago.

      “Instead, she should be warranted the chance to come to the right place, an opportunity that should not be denied of her. A learning environment. A place where she’ll have vast opportunities to learn and interact with a wonderful group of faculty and student community. Boston University.”

      Emotional, moral relativist twaddle. She’s not coming to BU to learn like an undergrad. She’s supposed to raise the level of discourse, to teach and research and improve the quality of the learning environment not poison it with her ignorant, extremist, partisan biases.

  28. This is less about free speech or academic freedom than it is about the ability to think and speak critically in general, something any institution of higher education is charged to encourage. The tendency to engage in false moral equivalencies in racial discourse, treating any and all generalized observations or criticisms of groups as equally problematic belies critical thinking and common sense. It is also a-political, a-historical and unscientific. When, where, how, why, and WHO makes such generalizations are differences that any thinking person should take seriously. Racism and other oppressions are group level phenomena and so must be spoken of in those terms. They cannot, by their very nature, be confined to assessments of individuals or purely personalized. The notion that any time a person speaks about these issues in terms of group characteristics he or she is engaged in harmful stereotyping does violence to the meaning of the term. Second, the presence of outrage is not evidence of the absence of civility. It is a well documented phenomenon that members of groups who have long enjoyed structural advantages tend to react negatively when those advantages are pointed out, much less threatened. Such reactions are opportunities to encourage moral, political and social maturation however painful the process involved. Third, this incident and others like them over many years are driven less by sincere concerns about protecting students than a political agenda of outside forces that relies on playing “gotcha” with faculty members viewed as having the “wrong” political beliefs. Those engaged in these tactics appropriate and manipulate the language of equality and inclusivity to bully colleges and universities and energize “the base” by appeals to imagined grievances and victimization. The most helpful response to those engaged in such tactics is to expose and challenge them, not to legitimize them. Again, the ability to distinguish among claims of wrongdoing in terms of legitimacy rather than treating all such claims equally is something higher education should be encouraging in our students. ‪#‎iSupportSaida‬

  29. 1. “every MLK week i commit myself to not spending a dime in white-owned businesses. and every year i find it nearly impossible.”
    2. “why is white america so reluctant to identify white college males as a problem population?”
    3. “can we just call st patrick’s day the white people’s kwanzaa that it is? this is not a thing in actual ireland. its completely made up”
    4. “for the reocrd, NO race outside of europeans had a system that made slavery a *personhood* instead of temporary condition” “there is also no race except europeans who kidnapped and transported human beings in order to enslave them and their offspring for life” “before europeans invented it as such, slavery was not a condition that was defacto inherited from parent to child.” “in other words, deal with your white ****, white people. slavery is a *YALL* thing.”

    These are some of tweets posted Ms. Grundy (source: http://socawlege.com/boston-university-assistant-professor-saida-grundy-attacks-whites-makes-false-statements-on-twitter/).

    BU Today seems awfully biased. All the professors and students who got interviewed are pro-Grundy.

  30. Damage report! Damage report! Boston University is great place….a very liberalized institution and has a history about it. Let’s think about this one…perhaps the search committee didn’t look into a number of other issues that are “somewhat” peripheral to academic performance or potential. (allow me a little slack here.) Apparently she is not even “on board” yet. Let’s see how she performs once her appointment begins and reevaluate. Freedom of speech is a right but remember it comes with a price. And the price may be tenure and promotion.

  31. As a mom of 3 boys, one at BU , this story made me take pause. My young men are respectful, contributing members of society. This bias the professor is showing is unacceptable. She cannot be trusted, she has no “editor”. Why cant she see that her words in fact define racism?

    She needs to spend some time with our young men, and apologize for her tweets. Pitiful that Bu is defending her.

  32. She’s a researcher and her statement can be backed by rape and assault statistics and history. Is she getting punished for reporting on data? Are we just going to ignore the truth behind the statements because some feelings were hurt? Get it together people

      1. He’s referring to the fact that 60% of all college rape allegations are against white offenders. He’s failing to account that 61% of college enrollment are whites. So basically, it is exactly proportionate, unlike other crime statistics in this country…

        1. Here’s the thing Kris. One, as pointed out above whites are no more likely to commit a sexual assault than any other race, there are just more of them on college campuses.

          Two, your comment about specific instances in history is exactly the problem with Ms. Grundy’s comments. Of course there are specific instances in history, there are specific instances every single day, both with white people and every other race. But for her to claim that a whole group of people is THE problem based on race, gender, or any other characteristic because of the misdeeds of certain individuals is just plain wrong. It is stereotyping, prejudice, bias, racism, whatever you want to call it. It is wrong. She is certainly entitled to her opinion, but she shouldn’t try to pass it off as fact based on her position as a researcher (unless she has data, which I haven’t seen) and BU should not employ people that are in charge of educating students with such biased attitudes about anything, not just race/gender.

        2. You are not paying attention to the group that was studied: COLLEGE-AGED, including male and female victims. Ages 18-24 both in post-secondary institutions and in the rest of the population.

          You are so determined to get your beliefs validated that you misrepresent data and ignore history. The #1 worst abusers, in sheer numbers over time, have been Muslim males.

  33. I’m curious as to what Mr and Mrs Questrom think with regard to her “not shopping in white owned stores ” around MLK Day?? Dr King taught tolerance and for everyone to be ‘color blind’. When I shop anytime during the year, it doesn’t even occur to me to consider WHO owns the business . I shop there because I want/like their product or service.

    Ms Grundy’s views are dated . Would she like the converse around MLK day? For white owned stores not to serve black customers?? Rediculous !!

    We have African American Dr’s. Lawyers, Police, firefighter’s, Deans, mayors, governors etc and finally a POTUS who is African American elected TWICE ! America finally gets to a point of color blindness, yet somehow her views are ‘free speech’ . I think it’s ‘backwards thinking’ and for a forward thinking University , I think BU can and SHOULD do better.

  34. So Meghan, I expect you will also support the next white professor who tweets that black males are the problem in society today? No? Yeah, that’s what I thought. You and the rest of the 2000 signatories are rank hypocrites.

    1. Actually, “educator,” we are not hypocrites. It is easy to say that race does not matter and that we are all on the same page, and I agree to a certain extent – we are all human and all deserve equality under the law. But your argument is invalid because saying “if it were a white person” is inherently not the same situation. A white man, who has power in society, tweeting about Black males would indeed make me upset. But Professor Grundy’s comments are different, and while I may not agree with all that she said, I do support her. I am not saying that Black people can say whatever they want – I am saying, though, that backwards racism is not possible. Just because she pointed out that whites are a leading cause of systematic racism in this country does not make her a racist – it makes her an impassioned observer.

      1. Here is the definition of racism for you:

        “The belief that all members of each race possess characteristics or abilities specific to that race”

        So saying that all white male college students are a problem is inherently racist. Both black and white can be racist. Her making a blanket statement about white males falls in this category

        So I’ll re-state what “educator” has said, “If a white person” made a broad sweeping remark about black men being a problem, you would have a serious issue with that, and not see them as an impassioned observer

        You are contextualizing her quotes and giving her the benefit of the doubt. I do not believe you would do the same for a white professor

      2. I agree that backwards racism is not a thing. that is because backwards racism is also called racism. Read up on the definition…One race making prejudiced or unbacked statements against another race. Asian, Hispanic, White, Middle Eastern, Black…All those little boxes you checked when you took the SATs? Yeah when one bubble is prejudiced to another bubble that bubble is being racist. Not backwards racist, just plain racist.

        Grundy made a racist remark. Grundy, however, being one person, does not take part in institutional racism, which is what you keep referring to. In that case, yes, america has a history of institutional racism against african americans. That is factual. Also factual, Grundy made a racist remark and should be punished equally.

      3. This is precisely the attitude and position that need to be rooted out of academia and society in general. Racism is abhorrent regardless of of the color of the racist’s skin.

      4. She “pointed out” that young white men are “the problem.” Do you think that? Because that just sounds racist. There’s only one “race.” But if I pointed out that any ethnic group was “the problem,” I would be called a racist. So why is it okay for her?

        1. It’s because liberals like grundy believe that blacks cannot be racist. They’ve tried to redefine the word in such a way that it gives them immunity no matter how racist they are. Nobody outside of academia is falling for this sleight-of-hand maneuver, and these sociologists just can’t figure out what the fuss is all about.

          Just keep repeating that whites are bad, whites are bad, whites are bad. But that’s apparently not racism in this bizarre world they live in.

      5. Oh BS at BU. Humans have this annoying tendency towards racist/tribalistic thought. It can be educated out, but not if you excuse some racists and not others. Then you have no moral standing on which to teach. She’s a racist … and she doesn’t know history worth a ball of spit.

      6. “Backwards racism is not possible.”

        Please do try to go into a court of law in America today and say that “backwards racism is not possible”. You would not be taken seriously on any level. The law still recognizes the legal definitions which cover ALL people, not the sociological fad definition.

    2. LOl, why would anyone support that? It’s extremely unfair and just plain tacky to try to put a white professor-on-black males spin on this entire situation. Historically, it does not have the same context as what Grundy’s comments refer to — white men in power.

      1. White men in power were the second “race” in history to end slavery (eventually) in all their lands and force Arabs to end slavery too (but it’s back with ISIS and Boko). The first were a few times during in China.

        No other societies including agressive ones in Africa did this. Many African Kingdoms practiced slavery long before whites came. Deal with it.

    3. You can’t seriously be dumb enough to believe this.
      You apparently don’t realize that it’s possible to be against racism in all of it’s forms.
      Grow up.

      1. On the contrary, I’ve had numerous white professors spout racist statements all the time. They have tenure though (and are quick to make it clear that their tenure protects them from being punished for their sexist and racist comments).

        1. Really, Yvonne? That’s your defense for Dr Grundy? “…white professors spout racist statements all the time.”?
          Woman-up and make your accusations specific. Make public those racist statements, and provide names, so that those professors can be censored, if not fired.

  35. So, a white male college administrator “denounces” comments made by a black female college professor who dares suggest that “white masculinity is THE problem” facing colleges–a statement made when most social institutions in this country prove her statements true. Best Brown give her a beat down now before she starts her work at BU. Support academic freedom in the abstract, but when it hits too close to home and alums are threatening not to write checks, deny the reality and attack the messenger.

    1. What social institutions are those. BU is letting in a sociology prof who is profoundly ignorent of history and a racist to boot. That’s affirmative action gone rouge.

  36. Rosemary,
    her ACTION of refusing to shop at white owned businesses indeed puts her in a position of power and privilege, therefore is racist. She has the means to choose where to shop, she is not oppressed.
    No, I don’t claim to be an expert on race theory but I do know the faith I believe in says to love all the “children of the world”
    Maybe we should all pray for Prof. Gundy.

  37. If a Caucasian professor made the same comment regarding African American students, would he or she receive the same treatment as Ms. Grundy?

  38. It’s finals time and I was swept up with my own work, so I missed much of the race baiting by Ms. Grundy. But now I’m in the loop and I have to ask: What would happen to a white professor who said the same things she did, about black students? (EVERYONE knows the answer.)

    Let her go. She brings nothing new or of value to the table. It’s not anywhere close to academic discourse, and the only challenge comes in the form of resisting any reaction to her attention-starved commentary. (That’s really what it’s about in the long run, her getting attention.) It’s not thoughtful, not thought-provoking, not helpful, and not anywhere near respectful. She is a Huey Newton knock-off, without the context, and he wasn’t that important if you consider a historical perspective.

  39. I’m curious to hear the full context of the professor’s remarks.
    No one should be commenting here after just reading the Fox News article. It took the distasteful comments to the extreme.

    BU is only backpedaling because they want donations from their majority white alumni (and I say this as one of them). Dr. Grundy deserves the benefit of the doubt. A college student blog looking at select tweets is not a legitimate news source and Fox News jumped on this as a way of taking attention away from racial tensions in Baltimore and throughout the U.S. Even if Dr. Grundy is prejudice (and I’m not ready to say that) it doesn’t mean that racism (white on black) is over.

    How is it somehow wrong for a Black professor to voice her opinion and pride about her race (re: the MLK tweet)? I do find the white men in college comment a bit offensive, but I also want to understand where she’s coming from before I jump to conclusions.

    The least BU can do is open a dialog about race on campus. Boston City Council has already been investigating the low level of minority hires and accepted students. BU was the only Boston university NOT to show up to the original council meeting on the issue.

    1. She chose to put them on Twitter which doesn’t allow for much context. It isn’t like Fox News picked out her statements from a paper she wrote or anything.

      1. Still, going from (paraphrasing here) “I try not to patronize white owned stores on MLK day” to “Dr. Grundy does not patronize white owned stores” is a considerable jump.

    2. “The least BU can do is open a dialog about race on campus. Boston City Council has already been investigating the low level of minority hires and accepted students. BU was the only Boston university NOT to show up to the original council meeting on the issue.”

      Boston City Council carries out these “investigations” based upon unqualified disparate impact theory. Wholesale idiocy disconnected from objectivity, science, and reality. There isn’t ANY evidence whatsoever suggesting institutional racism at BU in terms of minority enrollment or hiring. Like the overwhelming majority of post-secondary education institutions in America, BU bends over backwards to engage in the reverse racism of preferential policies (affirmative action) in both hiring and admissions.

  40. I would be much more concerned with the lack of intellectual prowess in her Twitter remarks. The complete lack of sensible conclusions is astounding. So you have a beef against white people. How on earth is the problem white college men? Would love to hear the reasoning for that. And the beauty of Twitter is that you have to select your 140 very limited characters carefully and spewing out gobbeldy gook says a great deal about someone.

    I would be more concerned that someone devoid of intellect and reason who somehow received a PhD is teaching my child at a very expensive university. The students would be more misinformed and lack critical thinking and reasoning skills that one hopes to develop while in college.

  41. I’m torn on this topic. I am against any type of speech that generalizes an entire group of people, and think Professor Grundy’s tweets show an “us” versus “them” mentality, rather than focusing on how these issues should be (and need to be) fixed.

    On the other hand, hearing all of these white PRIVILEGED males get so upset about this makes me realize how ridiculous it is. Yes, she made sweeping generalizations about your race and gender, and yes, that is counterproductive. But do you realize that you still hold most of the power in this country? That her statements will not affect your income, freedom, or any facet of your life in any way? These sweeping generalizations are made about minorities all the time. The difference is that they reflect a culture that DOES negatively impact their income, their freedom, their human rights.

    I appreciate Professor Grundy’s comment that she spoke about race issues “indelicately” and “deprived them of the nuance and complexity that such subjects always deserve.” THAT is what I think the issue is. She did not make her statements inclusive or open for discussion. Instead, she isolated a key group from the conversation, which will not result in progress. But at the end of the day, white people (note: I am a white person) should be able to acknowledge the fact that they do have privilege in this country, and that it is an issue. If you’re so offended by these tweets, imagine how minorities must feel on a daily basis.

    1. It isn’t privilege to be treated like a human being. That’s what all these liberal 12 year olds don’t get. We SHOULD be asking, what can we do to make sure ALL people are treated as human beings, not placing the blame on the portion of a population that has no control over it.

    2. I don’t care that Saide hates whites. I don’t care that her understanding of history is factually incorrect. I do care that they are hiring a racist who doesn’t know history. Not “because of the children”, but c’mon BU, I went to you and you’re hurting the brand. You can do better!!

      The fact is, not by one tweet but by dozens consitently over months, she is a racist. Some people attempt to defend her by talk of racist = racism + power. But racist = racist. Fact. By trying to defend one racist but attack others, you destroy the moral ground on which you can attack racism. Period. Call her out on it. Maybe she can be educated.

    3. “white PRIVILEGED males”?

      “Yeas and No”, since you’ve capitalized the word “privileged”, please define what this phrase means to you.

      Whom does this phrase refer to? All white males? Certain white males? White males that are going to school? White males that have a lot of money? White males the have no money? White males in prison? White males who drive school buses?

      Does “white privileged males” refer to white males who work full-time to pay tuition? White males who have parents that pay for their tuition? Or, white males who receive government assistance? Who?

      Is is all white males? Or just the ones whom comment here?

      I keep hearing this phrase but I’m trying to understand the definition. Please elaborate. Thanks.

      1. “White privilege” is, by definition, the invisible societal privileges that benefit white people solely because of their race. For example, if a cop pulls a white person over, they can be confident that they weren’t pulled over for their race. There have been studies that show when employers are given the same exact resume, but one with a “white” name and one with a “black” name, the former is more likely to get an interview. You don’t have to worry about being watched in a store because of your skin color, etc. Basically, white people can walk through daily life knowing that their race isn’t negatively influencing any aspect of their existence.

        Male privilege represents the invisible social, economic, and political advantages that are made to men solely because of their sex. The decision to hire men is not based on assumptions about whether or not they may choose to have a family. If they do choose to have a family, their career will not be affected by it. Men don’t have to worry about being harassed or abused in any way when simply walking alone at night. A man’s looks or the way he dresses doesn’t define him as a person to the public. Etc. Etc.

        Combined, white males have a lot of privilege in this world stemming from history and how our culture has been built.

        You bring up a good point that there are absolutely other kinds of privileges, such as sexual orientation, class, religion, etc., that influence one’s access to these benefits. However, in this case, we are talking about race (and gender due to some of Grundy’s tweets), so those are the privileges I am focusing on. I am not putting any blame on people for having privilege or condemning them for it, I myself benefit from many privileges. I just think it’s important to recognize it in order to eliminate it.

        This video is a good explanation of privilege, if you’re interested: http://everydayfeminism.com/2014/11/what-is-whitemale-privilege/

  42. At a time when true leadership is needed, President Brown has failed to lead. People can dance around it or try to justify it as much as they want, but at the end of the day, the defense of her is the epitome of a double standard. I expect better from a school of BU’s stature.

  43. The speech was hateful and racist, but I support Dr. Grundy and her freedom to say it. I don’t support the words and think the speaker is a vile person, but I’m not going to demand she be censored. Just as she’s free to say what she wants, I’m free to say what I want, and I’m saying that I won’t be writing another alumni or faculty donation check while she teaches at BU.

  44. I think BU should embrace this young black female professor because she’s adding authentic value to the university and will make BU more prestigious in her field the next 50 years. She will bring racial relation debate forefront to the national level, which is important and has been ignored in this country by the powerful white men, and still is. Anyone who think her words were offensive don’t know or are lack of understanding of history, especially black history and their plague and suffering. Her words I believe were in a sense weighted behind 200 years of history against the class of white male, not the individual nice beautiful handsome white males that you see and interact with on the daily basis. I bet her class will be very popular and be fully booked all the time.

  45. When a truck rear ends a car on the highway, it is referred to as an accident. When a car rear ends a truck on the highway, it is also called an accident, not a “backwards Accident”. See, in this analogy, trucks are white folks and cars are black. Sure, white people are notoriously seen as bigger in societal standings, but when a comment made by a minority group hits a majority group, you must call it like it is.

    Now lets read that comment with racism. When a white person says something offensive and prejudiced to a black person, it is often called racism. When a black person does so to white person, it is also called racism, not “backwards racism”.

    so now let’s address the institutional racism dilemma. Whites have been in power and systematically have not let blacks achieve the same positions. Say, a bunch of trucks on the highway are taking up all the lanes not letting cars pass. That would be institutional racism. There is no collision, just a systematic way of putting down the smaller group. But when a blocked car slams into a line of trucks THAT ARE NOT BLOCKING it (read as “white male college population” instead of targeting the problem which would be years of whites in high power positions), it is an accident and the car is at fault.

    Meanwhile there are pedestrians, bikers, cyclists, and others on the great road of life, those are the other races, and when any of them collide, it is still an accident, just as comments made by other races can still be racist.

  46. As a gay Latino male, I find Prof. Grundy’s comments callous and offensive. But I shouldn’t have to state my agreement by preceding it with ‘oppressed qualifiers’ in order to quiet down, a priori, the ferociously intolerant voices of those radically committed to shut down equality in discourse. Prof. Grundy’s comments are exemplary of the race for the pinnacle of victimization and division in which the angry expect us all to engage. Her comments are patently racist. And of course there is racism outside of the systemic kind. What kind of blindness holds the contrary?! Either we keep everyone’s racism in check or we make a mockery out of our alleged quest for morality. We don’t solve hatred with more hatred.

    1. Extremely well stated Rafael, especially the a priori comment. It is shocking how some seem to think that you must belong to a traditionally oppressed or otherwise minority group to even DISCUSS equality.

      In their eyes, if you’ve committed the cardinal sin of being born a straight white male, you don’t belong in any conversation about equality. But it’s not racist or discriminatory, because you have blood on your hands from the actions of your ancestors, right?

      What ever happened to judgment by the content of your character? – a standard by which Ms. Grundy clearly falls short of representing BU, an institution with a long and storied history of inclusion.

      To solve racism & prejudice, both systemic and personal, we must teach our children & peers to love & respect people FOR their differences – not support thinly-disguised racism such as Ms. Grundy’s in the name of “equality”.

      “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.” – MLK

  47. Below is part of a letter that I wrote to President Brown following his open letter about Ms. Grundy’s tweets:

    Dear President Brown,

    I’m writing to you today about some disturbing comments that a potential new professor at Boston University has made publicly and without reservation. As you are more than aware, recently hired assistant professor Saida Grundy has been in the media for bigoted tweets regarding people of a certain ethnicity – painting members of an entire ethnic group comprised of hundreds of millions of people as “a problem population”, and describing the same group as “not a problem, but THE problem with colleges” (sic). She also makes emphatic points that she goes out of her way to actively avoid businesses owned by that ethnic group, and laments that she is unable to completely avoid being a patron of businesses owned by that ethnicity. She defends these racist positions by shrouding them in the cloak of academia, with the thread provided by us! There absolutely should be discussion and research of the socioeconomic structures that cause and propagate racism in our country & global community. But these structures will not be broken down by a person who clearly has a personal bias against a specific race (which, by most definitions, people call racism).

    Ms. Grundy’s statements are representative of an extremely disturbing attitude that is implicitly SUPPORTED by Boston University as long as she teaches on our campus. While I appreciate your calls for candid discussion about a very sensitive topic, her statements speak for themselves and show a clear racial bias that would directly and unambiguously affect her ability to give fair and balanced treatment to all members of our community. I challenge you to replace her statements about white men with that of any other racial group and imagine yourself, as the chosen representative of all of BU, defending her statements to the public. If she was a white woman claiming that “black men are THE problem with colleges” – would you support her position? How about a black man claiming that white women are “the problem”? BU has an existing anti-discrimination policy that I have no doubt would have been exercised with prejudice in these cases. Why should Ms. Grundy deserve “discussion of her views?” above and beyond those given to other bigoted positions?

    Ms. Grundy’s statements are racist, offensive, and diminish the lives and abilities of all members of our community who do not directly fit her worldview. Discrimination by a faculty member of people by ANY factor of their identity is completely unacceptable at Boston University. While Ms. Grundy is at BU, I can no longer in good faith financially support BU or recommend it as a university that I would feel comfortable with my family attending. I hope that this will not be the case forever.

    If BU is to retain its growing global reputation as an excellent institution of higher learning, we must be the shining beacon on the hill. We must show people of all backgrounds that equality is FOR ALL: not only for the majority, not only for minorities, but for ALL. I will be forwarding this email to friends & family in the BU community and encouraging them to boycott support until BU no longer supports racism of any kind.

    In the words of a much better alum than myself,

    “I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.” – MLK

    1. Very well put. President Brown needs to understand that there is no way this individual will NOT allow her distorted views to enter into the classroom. This reflects badly on BU and he has an obligation to students to provide a learning environment in which differing views are expressed, but not in this way.

    2. More Quotes from the MLK who isn’t the white-washed Mystical Black used by non-POCs to censor his diverse message:

      “…I have been gravely disappointed with the white moderate. I have almost reached the regrettable conclusion that the Negro’s great stumbling block in the stride toward freedom is not the White Citizen’s Council-er or the Ku Klux Klanner, but the white moderate who is more devoted to “order” than to justice; who prefers a negative peace which is the absence of tension to a positive peace which is the presence of justice.”

      “…Negroes must be there own spokesmen…they must be in the primary leadership of their own organizations. White liberals must understand this. It is part of the search for manhood…This means that white liberals must be prepared to accept a transformation of their role. Whereas it was once a primary and spokesman role, it must now become a secondary and supportive role.”

      1. Not sure why you are trying to argue a straw man when the clear tone of my letter is that justice & equality for all can not be achieved by those that preach hate.

        For each of the racists popping out of the wood works to use this event as a soapbox for their hate (and trust me, they are appearing on both sides of this issue), there are many more Americans from all walks of life advocating for equality and against discrimination of any kind.

        To address your quotes, which I’m sure you hold dear to your heart and totally didn’t Google while grasping for rhetorical straws:

        I sincerely doubt that MLK would agree that Ms. Grundy is working towards a “positive peace” by aggressively labeling ANY socioeconomic group as a “problem population”. Justice means equality for all in the eyes of the law & judgment based solely on the content of your OWN actions – not codifying or permitting discrimination by any factor of an individual’s identity or membership, chosen or not, of a group.

        Your second quote is mainly irrelevant to Ms. Grundy’s blatant bigotry, but I agree with Dr. King’s original message. There can be no true equality when all socioeconomic groups are not represented in government & leadership roles by their own members. But certainly Ms. Grundy is NOT a leader in the fight against systemic racism. And the endless battle against codified discrimination does not mean that we must support prejudice and hate from anyone. Let me finish his quote for you.

        “… supportive role. This does not mean that whites must work only with whites and blacks with blacks; such an approach is always in danger of polarizations that can only intensify distrust and despair. Every time a Negro in the slums of Chicago or on the plantations of Mississippi sees Negroes and whites honestly working together for a common goal, he sees new grounds for hope”

        MLK, “Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community?” (1967, 2010 re-prt)

        Clearly MLK here is advocating that any social movement for equality should only contain members of the disenfranchised group, right? Wait, no, he’s saying exactly the opposite. Let me leave you with a much better quote that I feel summarizes Dr. King’s feelings on the kind of hate speech & bigotry that Ms. Grundy so proudly flaunts:

        “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.” – MLK

  48. How can any institution justify allowing someone with these attitudes teach ANY student on the BU campus? This woman’s rhetoric is what inflames and abets the continuation of racism at all levels. It’s everything this nation does NOT need right now. Those of you who support her are as big a set of racists as any klansman out there.

  49. I support Professor Grundy. Twitter is not really the best place to hold sensitive discussions on issues of race and ethnicity, so I can see how misplaced statements could be perceived or utilized to suppress the overall issue of terrible race relations in this country and globally. As long as the theory of ‘whiteness’ is denied (which is based on the continued desire to worship and protect the white male figure) the longer the problem lingers on. Most of us learned this concept by our white male Professors and I suspect that the same holds true for Professor Grundy.

    We must solve the behaviors which lead to these true and understandable feelings. Only those who stand to lose will fight the need to end racism.

  50. Just a couple points. Choose to bite or not

    1. To parents threatening to take their white sons out of BU or threatening not to apply – don’t stress about it. There’s plenty to go around. Or they’ll come to BU and still have a grand time with all their fellow white male peers…or other races and genders if they want to branch out! It’s a win/win situation.

    2. Does anyone understand the difference between masculinity and males? One is a system. One is a human. If you’re going to twist her words, at least understand what she was saying in the first place.

    I’m graduating in January and will miss this place with all my heart. I will, however, not miss President Brown’s hypocrisy. If you’re against Saida and don’t like how he’s handling her racially charged messages (that she can back up with research), you should see how he handles sexual assault. Oh wait, he doesn’t. Maybe he should send out a survey asking white males how their experience at BU has been in regards to racial inequality. That ought to level the playing field.

    1. I was disappointed to see Pres. Brown’s email have such strong language about Prof. Grundy’s tweets. He was a lot more circumspect about sexual assault on campus, which is an issue that deserves his undivided criticism and advocacy.

      Alumni should not be donating until BU fixes its dismal sexual assault response procedures. These tweets are nothing in comparison.

    2. Student: Saide made dozens of tweets over months where she expressed racist opinions and embarassing knowledge of history (doesn’t know about Arab or even black on black slavery long before Europeans came). In such quotes she directly states that white college males are the problem. Specifically, 7:36 AM (she gets all revved up about race early) 10 Mar 2015 “white college males as a problem population?” Untwist that please.

    3. Soon to actually have to work for a living the great equalizer in life. Enjoying college life is something the majority of american kids have never enjoyed. So take your newly formed liberal education and go forth and see how the real world works!

    4. “1. To parents threatening to take their white sons out of BU or threatening not to apply – don’t stress about it. There’s plenty to go around. Or they’ll come to BU and still have a grand time with all their fellow white male peers…or other races and genders if they want to branch out! It’s a win/win situation.”

      You’re wrong. The statistics are indisputable. Males of all races are a rapidly shrinking minority in colleges across the US, and the numbers get worse as the competitiveness of the school increases.

      Regardless, it’s sheer ignorance and irresponsibility to endorse such blatant racism while pretending to celebrate and promote diversity.

      “2. Does anyone understand the difference between masculinity and males? One is a system. One is a human. If you’re going to twist her words, at least understand what she was saying in the first place.”

      No, masculinity isn’t a “system”. Try a dictionary, not some leftist feminist blog. No one has twisted her words. There’s nothing sophisticated, complicated, or nuanced about her comments. It’s the same ignorant, tired, old neo-marxist trash recycled endlessly which continues to excite leftists of all ages everywhere.

      “I’m graduating in January and will miss this place with all my heart. I will, however, not miss President Brown’s hypocrisy. If you’re against Saida and don’t like how he’s handling her racially charged messages (that she can back up with research), you should see how he handles sexual assault. Oh wait, he doesn’t. Maybe he should send out a survey asking white males how their experience at BU has been in regards to racial inequality. That ought to level the playing field.”

      The irrational false campus rape hysteria is a separate and irrelevant topic, social justice warrior.

  51. BU alum here.

    Professor Ammerman and Professor Kibria: If you said the same thing about POC you would be hounded out of your jobs.

    White male students at BU: The crosshairs are on you, merely because of the color of your skin. When it comes to Grundy’s classroom discussion, assigments, and tests, you won’t get a fair shake. Your points of view will be treated as inferior or suspect by default because of what you look like.

    #DumpGrundy

      1. Not correct, Abigail. A private (independent) university does not have state funding, but it most surely can receive federal funding: research and other academic grants, eligibility for federal financial aid programs, and support for special projects.

  52. Everyone seems to be so focused on her tweet about the male college age “problem population,” but have you read her others? Its the collection of numerous factually incorrect, degrading tweets that make this an issue.
    The worst one in my opinion is the one that states “looting is just black ppl’s best impression of Wall Street and the *entire rest of america* .wanting unearned goods is not a black trait”

    Dr. Grundy, are you implying here that its a “white man” trait? are you saying its everyone’s trait? What are you even trying to say here? It sounds to me like she’s trying to say, not only is looting stores comparable in some manner to Wall Street workers (another absurd generalization) and every other worker in america (which would include all kinds of races, not just white) but she’s trying to say that somehow every single American hasn’t earned their belongings.

    I am a BU student and it was damn hard for me to get there. My grandparents were immigrants. They raised my parents poor as dirt. My father’s father bailed on him and his mother was diagnosed with schizophrenia. He had to go hungry many nights. My mother moved all over the country because her parents kept losing their jobs and having to find new ones. My parents struggled to get good grades and both managed to get into UPenn with astounding loans and debt. They worked hard at school and afterwords in the workplace to pay of those debts and get enough money for me to be able to pay for BU, which I worked very hard to get into now and am still working diligently to maintain a high GPA in.

    Now Dr. Gundry I DARE you to come up with some kind of context in which you feel comfortable telling me and many other Americans who I’m sure have busted their butts working that we did not earn our goods.

    This woman is a disgrace and I am deeply offended by her obnoxious, fact-less, degrading, generalizing and overall unintelligent (ironic that she is a doctor) tweets.

    Additionally I refuse to hear the argument that I shouldn’t take a tweet seriously because its just a tweet on social media because I cannot tell you the amount of times that a professor or anyone has told me not to post pictures of me with alcohol on Facebook because I wont get a job. And its true. What you post on social media DOES matter.

  53. Have any of the commentators here bothered to read the blog page by Nick Pappas on his website socawlege.com? His refutation of Prof. Grundy’s comments on slavery and whites is that “Arabs” had lots of slaves and that “Muslims” “controlled” the slave trade. Mr. Pappas thereby asserts that Arabs are not white and that Muslims are also automatically non-white. (It would be interesting to hear his views about Jews). None of the angry voices here or elsewhere are denouncing these racist attitudes because, of course, they share them. I might also note that Prof. Grundy’s comments were made on a private twitter account, while Mr. Pappas’s comments were made on a website intended to get as much publicity as possible. It’s just another example of the pervasive double standard in the media and US society regarding claims of racism. (And if anyone thinks a white professor who made comments about the “problem” black population wouldn’t benefit from this double standard, I suggest they review the careers of Richard J. Herrnstein and Charles Murray, authors of The Bell Curve).

    1. Um, most Arabs, living for generations in lower latitudes, are not white skinned. And yes, for centuries and even now, the vast majority of Muslims are not white. The majority of the Jewish population in Israel is not white. Go there and see.

      Muslims practiced slavery until white Europeans shut it down by force. ISIS and Boko are reviving the tradition.

      Professor Grundy’s twitter account was only recently made private. Richard and Charles were attacked and threatened for years and years after. I don’t know what you are talking about here. The president of Harvard was fired for one comment about black achievement.

      OK: Summarise. Most Muslims and a large precentage of Jews are not white. Muslims slaved extensively for centuries until forced to stop by European powers. Richard and Charles took flack for years about the Bell Curve. BTW, nowhere in that book do they claim blacks are genetically less intelligent. They specifically state in that book that “the evidence does not justify an estimate.” of what percent if any of intelligence results from genes.

      You need some fact straightening.

      1. “Jews are not white.” I hope when it comes time for you to join that great torchlight parade in the sky, they put that on your tombstone.

        Ethnically, of course, Arabs (and most Jews, Ethiopian Jews being an exception) are white. If we’re talking about not being blond and fair-skinned, then many of the “white male college students” referred to Prof. Grundy are also not white. The absurd places to which racism leads you!

        And as for Europeans shutting down the slave trade, the most important slave market in the 19th Century – the interstate slave market in the USA, run by and for white people – was never touched by any of the European countries. It took a bloody civil war in the USA to do that, and many of the participants (on the anti-slavery side) were black.

        Your friends (I assume from the way you first-name them) “Richard” and “Charles” buried a non-disclaimer “disclaimer” in their book. The takeaway from that book by the mass media and by millions of racist idiots, however, was that black people do worse than white people on every important measure of intelligence, that this is an inherited trait and that (therefore) there’s nothing to be done about it. [All of these are false, BTW, starting with the notion of “race” used by Dick and Chuck, a legal concept from the segregation (and slavery) period which has no scientific basis]. Just because they inserted a lawyer’s-argument disclaimer somewhere in their 900+ pages doesn’t get them off the hook. As for the controversy, not only did they court it, but it made them household names as well as heroes to the more intellectual racists in this country.

        And which president of Harvard was that? If you’re referring to Larry Summers, his most controversial remarks were about women, not blacks, and his retirement from the Presidency had more to do with his support for the work of the Harvard Institute for International Development in Russia than any racist or sexist comments along the way.

  54. Twitter is not a platform for in depth discussion about any subject, much less race. It is a platform to make a short, blunt statement that resonates with people and creates impact. One way to create an impact is to provoke and shock, as Dr.Grundy did.

    The reality is that white men remain the most powerful group on college campuses, and the world. All white men group (and yes, even the fantastic, respectful, good citizens in this group) enjoy an invisible privilege that emboldens some to act in ways that pollutes the college community and experience for many (i.e. campus rape and sexual violence). Privilege is not something that you ask for or have control over, so many white men at the top of the social totem pole are not conscious of their privilege and can’t begin to imagine the myriad consequences of the privilege they have inherited.

    To make progress with respect to race relations in our country and BU community, we must be willing to examine our own privilege, and the consequences it has on our own behavior and that of others, before attacking others so vehemently.

    I do not fault Dr. Grundy for her comments. If you were tired by the way that women are raped on college campuses while their male perpetrators get off scot-free, and minority students are marginalized by institutional racism, you might be tempted to make generalizations too.

    1. I wish more people were open-minded like you. It’s not like she’s pulling her ‘white male’ argument out of thin air. She could have worded her tweets way better but I understand what she’s trying to say. She’s an African American studies professor so she has to talk about how the white race has played a role in the history and development of the African American community, whether it’s critical or not. It’s disgusting how people are always so quick to combat without having a conversation.

    2. Racism is ok because…twitter.

      The privilege! That’s racist code for “white success.” It’s the perfect scapegoat for racists. White person succeeds – that invisible privilege did it, not the person. Black person fails, oh they didn’t have this supposed privilege, therefore it’s someone else’s fault.

      “Attacking others so vehemently” = racist code for calling racism what it is, no matter who it comes from.

      No amount of posturing or excuse-making reduces the vileness of the professor’s words.

  55. To label white people as ‘privileged’ is racist. To label Christians as ‘privileged’ is religious intolerance. To label men as ‘privileged’ is gender bias. To label heterosexuals as ‘privileged’ is ‘heterophobic’.

    This concept of ‘privilege’ is rooted in intolerance. If you can convince an entire society that there is a whole class of peoples that have an unfair advantage the next step is to remove that advantage. That raises the question, “How do you remove such an advantage?”

    “The deduction from all this is the following: an antisemitism based on purely emotional grounds will find its ultimate expression in the form of the pogrom.[1] An antisemitism based on reason, however, must lead to systematic legal combating and elimination of the privileges of the Jews, that which distinguishes the Jews from the other aliens who live among us (an Aliens Law). The ultimate objective [of such legislation] must, however, be the irrevocable removal of the Jews in general.”
    ~Adolf Hitler, Letter to Herr Adolf Gemlich, September 16, 1919

    Those of you promoting this ‘privilege’ nonsense had better pull your heads out of your collective @$$3$.

    It may surprise you to know that I don’t wake up every day and think of myself as a ‘”white man”‘ and how that fits me into the world. I don’t go around thinking about race and how I relate to others in that way. I don’t frame issues in terms of how they effect “my people”, other whites, because others are not “my people” just because of the color of their skin. And I don’t believe the great mass of white people do either. I’m just me, a Heinz 57 American and not part of some self-conscious racial group.

    But one day, if the race hustlers and grievance-mongers keep it up, we just might reach a critical mass of racial self-consciousness in self-defense and begin to think politically, and deliberately move in concert as a group with all of its implications- explicit group rights, prerogatives and preferences we are willing to codify and enforce. And since there’s about 200 million white people in this country, you might want to think about what that could mean. Don’t be surprised if after corralling the great majority into conscious racial solidarity the outcome is something quite different than the social engineer’s grand schemes.

  56. Very disappointing, if she was my employee she would have been fired before God got the news. I run a business and expect a level of professionalism that I guess isn’t required by BU?

    1. Travis, with all due respect, stay disappointed.
      Your “professionalism” is tainted by your compliance in a racist system, but don’t worry! BU remains compliant in racist ideologies, much like yourself, so you two can live happily ever after. :)

  57. All these “alumni” are seriously disgusting me right now. Your moral compass is spinning out of control. Check yourselves. Get out of our lives and our campus and take your gangster donations with you.

  58. To those BU and non-BU students who are proactively attacking Saida Grundy but didn’t say a single word when role-model Bobby Brown was subpoenaed on a diversity hearing (On our 5% Black ultra-diverse campus?! No way! Why?), I just got something to say to you from the bottom of my heart… Check your privilege, ethnocentric tools. ‪#‎ISupportSaida‬ ‪#‎ImBUToo‬

    If “WHITE AMERIC” was indeed as infuriated by the daily abuses commited against “BLACK AMERICA” as they are with.. a TWEET… we wouldn’t be talking about “white or black” at all.

    – An Actual BU student (QSB’17)

    1. Just tell me how her comments at all help the situation in this country? How are divisive comments supposed to help us unite as one equal people?

    2. There are too many Logical fallacies in your post to take it seriously.

      It looks like logic was not a major focus at BU. That’s unfortunate.

  59. I’m a white alumna of BU as is my husband. I have two white college students, one at BU. When one of my sons was younger, he played at a Boys and Girls club team. Except for him, all the players and the coach were black. This was not due to any exclusion, it was about the neighborhoods being segregated by race and class. One day he came home unhappy about being told as a white kid he couldn’t jump or have any dance moves. I said it was not nice or true to make those generalization, and I also said that he was getting some small experience of what it was like to be judged by the color of your skin. We talked about how frequently black kids have to deal with much more negative and damaging generalizations.
    In my experience, it is rare that negative generalizations are made about white men. so while I understand the reactivity, what about white men taking some time to feel how lousy it feels to be stereotyped, and to be thankful that there are no negative consequences to them from these tweets. How about using this experience as an opportunity to develop empathy for others for whom stereotyping is much more limiting and dangerous.

  60. graduating in a year and couldn’t be happier. This University did not fulfill my expectations. Maybe every school is like this, who knows. All I know is thtpat these past few years I’ve developed an immense feeling of guilt for the fact that my parents are paying an inexplicable amount of money for me to go to an institution that keeps asking for more and more money, and one that basically outs up a facade of being this diverse school with amazing buildings and all this crap. False. This incident just tops the cake. I took a race and ethnicity class and the whole class was basically blaming every single white person alive for racism, a very anti white rhetoric was used all throughout the class, and the professor did nothing. People don’t understand that in order to keep moving forward, keep trying to stop racism, we have to see EVERYONE as equal. EVERYONE. Yeah, Bob’s ancestors might have enslaved your ancestors. Yeah, Jim and Mary, two southerners, might have racist views still today. But please, someone enlighten me, where will it get us if we just complain and complain and dwell on these pieces of information? What happened to being proactive? Love people for who they are. Don’t look at me and see my white skin and assume I’m racist, that’s prejudice right there. Ugh sorry for the rant.

  61. The only way to end racism: STOP VICTIMIZING each other! The only reason for inequality in this world isn’t race or other BS but the ignorance, which is common among all races.

  62. Shoe on the other foot: an incoming white professor sends out a series of tweets calling black males a “problem population” on campus. Does this white professor get to keep his job? Of course not — nor should he. So why should Ms. Grundy be allowed to keep her job?

    Fire Grundy now.

  63. Until she is forced to resign, or she is fired; people should boycott Boston University. People shouldn’t donate to the university, either. Pick another college to go to. God knows, I would never give them a penny that could end up in her pocket.

  64. While Ms. Grundy has the right to freedom of speech (which I wholeheartedly support), she and others must remember with rights come responsibility and actions have consequences. If Ms. Grundy had been a white professor, or any white individual, saying those things about blacks or any other race she would have been labeled a racist and fired. Until ALL people of ALL races are held to the same standards, nothing will change.

  65. Get out of town all people should feel disrespected by her tweets. How can she still have her job after this. I couldt say this and still have my job.

  66. I’m not a liberaly educated doctor, but I do know this woman is a hateful racist. She should not get a pass for this. She should be fired.

  67. I am a white, male, PhD student at BU and I welcome Dr. Grundy, her scholarship (which I’m sure not many on this page have read), her discussions race and gender, and even her ill-advised affinity for Twitter, to this campus.

    1. but there is barely any scholarship to read: she has only published one paper which is ridiculous by today’s standards. Didn’t you find it strange that her (future) colleagues and supervisors have focussed on her “dynamic teaching” in their statements, and not her research? Other commentators on this page calling her “expert”, etc. should check out her cv and realize that she is at most an aspiring scholar with little achievement to show thus far.

  68. I believe the question should be: Why is Boston University employing a racist?

    Based on her public discourse and her own BU webpage interest line indicates someone that extremely biased, sexist and racially motivated. A prof should be intellectually open to discourse and able to thoughtfully debate an issue from both sides to be effective.

  69. Sometimes the most effective discourse begins with a punch in the nose. Someone needs to rock the boat. Lord knows that’s what us ’60’s kids were about.

    Some may ask “What happened to free speech?” My answer is that nothing has happened to free speech, but everyone must realize that while speech is free, the consequences are not.

    Post-MTV America has become a rude and mean society, with many people believing that it’s acceptable to verbally trash others at will — and also believing that they’re being persecuted if anyone calls them on their behavior. Sometimes the rudeness is political. Sometimes it’s cultural or socio-economic or just plain outright racism. At other times, it’s simply based on saying what feels good at the moment, for various emotional reasons (like attention-craving).

    I give her a pass for saying what SHE believes and practices. It’s HER opinion and she is entitled to it. But she will pay a price in blowback and an intense scrutiny of every aspect of her academic conduct and job performance for some time to come. Maybe that helps re-start the race discussion at BU or in America. If o, it’s a good thing because nothing much of substance has been resolved since 1964.

    Or maybe she just needs to get over herself.

  70. My son was accepted to this God-forsaken hole. I’m glad he went to a real university, instead. I would not want him subjected to the racist pseudo-scholars with cracker jack-box Ph.D.s that are “faculty” at this Backup University.

    1. My A GPA daughter was not accepted to BU to a CS major even though I’m an alumn!

      Of course, she did forget to change of the “That’s why I want to attend the University of Washington” ending to BU. Oops! She’s now going to a much higher ranked school in CS but I still don’t quite know why they wouldn’t overlook her obvious reuse of her essay … for a former, loyal dues paying alumn.

      That’s why I’m not donating anymore. I could care less about a racist, historically ignorant professor who is clearly being hired only for reasons of political correctness. Tweet on Saide! Don’t hold it in, get that hate out out out.

  71. I was very disappointed in Prof. Grundy comments.
    She canat be that stupid to think they are not offensive or racist.
    I am concerned about her intellectual ability to teach college students.
    Although I believe professors/students should be able to say what they want but it has to go both ways.
    If this were a white professor saying these things about another race they would be booted off campus and most likely would never been hired by BU.
    Nancy Ammerman, CAS professor of sociology that helped recuit her said “The excerpts from her twitter feed are indeed unsettling” “but so is the really virulent response to them”. You are deflicting, Prof. Ammerman. The “virulent ” comments would never have been posted and this would not have been an issue except for Professor Grundy. She did wrong and she has to face the consequences. Dont make excuses for her Prof. Ammerman. G.C. CLA 77/80

  72. She is part of a group (POC) oppressed by the system, but she is personally extremely lucky: she got a job at a large university, probably tenure track, in a very difficult market, an opportunity that is denied to many others, sometimes explicitly because of their race or gender (there are many grants discriminating on this basis). She is a lucky, privileged person who (fortunately!) did not have to suffer the dire doom of poverty and lack of social status often encountered by people with her skin color.

    Instead of being happy and promoting equality, she bashes out at people who, individually, can very well have an harsher future than her.

    The problem is not that she is racist/racially discriminatory, but that she is badly educated, insensible, and unaware of their peculiarly fortunate position.

  73. Pure poppycock. All of it. HEADLINE: Bigoted Prof Storms BU Campus in 21st Century Twitter Stupid Style. INTELLIGENCE BE DAMMED! Students suffer. Adults need to conduct themselves as such. Twitter and Facebook rants? – is this woman 13?

  74. I’m happy I’m not a student at Boston University. I would be afraid to take a course from a Professor that thinks i’m “the problem.” She is a racist, although “race” is a fallacy in my eyes. Someone who is biased against someone else for their differences should not be shaping the minds of students.

  75. I have read many of Ms.Grundy’s tweets and find them not just offensive but patently false. They reveal a person, who despite her PHD is so driven by hatred, bigotry, resentment, that she has abandoned all concern for historical facts, scholarship and academic integrity. Opinion is one thing, falsification of history is another. The fact that the university president and other members of the faculty support her employment in face of this evidence is a betrayal of every student who entrusted himself or herself to be educated by this university, Her employment should be terminated before she has an opportunity to poison any minds.

  76. The capital of youth is ignorance. Everyone makes mistakes. Dr. Gundy expressed what was in her heart, and she deserve a second chance. There are Professors only God knows what’s in their heart. Though they grumble all day, but their acts of discrimination is far worse! Once in a while one runs into a bad apple. It’s up to you what you make out of this experience. If you are any different, maybe you’d show love, compassion, and mercy by giving her a second chance.

  77. As a former alum, there is zero chance I will donate in the future to the University. Boston has come a very long way since the days school desegregation. I can vividly remember sitting in Latin HS watching out the window the racial riots across the street at Boston English. Complacency by the administration of Boston U in my mind is an endorsement of Racism. Racism of any kind is a Civil Rights violation.

  78. I really can’t stand this double standard. Had a white professor made a similar comment about black men she would have been let go. This pathetic excuse of a teacher cannot be trusted to treat all students fairly. Boycott her class would be my advice. Protest outside her classroom. I truly hope the students don’t allow the administration to insult them with her presence. Just because we are free to express our opinions does not mean we should not be held accountable for them. See that she’s held accountable for hers.

    1. She’s a loose cannon and has demonstrated an inability to rein in her impulsive anger. This will not be the last time we hear about Grundy, but I have a feeling in the future it will be about a lawsuit.

      CU just had to pay half a million dollars plus legal fees to a graduate student and professor, simply because the professor had written about the graduate student accusing someone of sexual assault and claimed he thought she was lying. I’m female and don’t agree with what the professor did, but that’s not my point. My point is MONEY and lots of it lost by the university who did not nip the problem in the bud earlier by disciplining the professor.

      CU paid 300,000 to the student and 300,000 to the professor in the end. All the professor did was say publicly that he thought she was lying.

      This incoming BU professor vocally hates whites and has basically already threatened any white male that takes her class. Students are getting fed up with the rabid, illogical social justice ranting. They want facts and they deserve to be respected no matter their skin tone. Students will push back and if the university chooses to stand with Gundy, they will pay for her petulant, racially insensitive behavior in real dollars when she goes off the rails again.

  79. I cant believe that a good chunk of the money I pay for tuition is being spent on paying these type of professors. You know what? Screw this nonesense, screw liberal arts, and screw these professors and their dumb professions.

    Why can’t people just go to college for scientific things, like physics or computer science, or chemistry- None of this psuedo-science mumbo-jumbo like sociology or psychology, And definitely not for African-American studies. Granted that this is a liberal arts college, so absurd nonesense is a must, but knowing that you pay for that nonesense, as well as knowing that you pay for a professor who is clearly expressing some form of racism or hate Who does that specific nonesense, makes me want to rip-up all my checks to BU and burn them.

    I mean really, why should I be paying for stuff like this? Shouldn’t I, as an individual, decide to pay what I deem is needed for my major? Nope, instead I must pay for professors of completely useless subjects And pay for the ones who have a thing against my skin color (professors who are bigots). Nice. Everything is so amazingly logical. Spock is rolling around in his grave because of this absurdity, And I have to pay for it…

  80. Saida Grundy is a racist. Full stop.

    She’s also a bit of an idiot about history. Arabs were enslaving enmass for centuries especially from Africa. Europeans ended this practice until ISIS and Boko reconsituted it.

  81. A B.U. professor makes racist remarks and barely gets a slap on the wrist, if you can even call it that. A high school principal in Georgia makes a racist remark at a graduation ceremony and GETS FIRED. If a group of white kids beat up a black man, headlines scream “racism!”. In Baltimore recently, 50 black kids beat a white man in his own driveway when he asked them to get off his truck, and NO headline said that. In fact, the incident was barely reported. Until double standards re: racism end – until ALL races are seen as being worthy of respect – until racism is dealt with evenly, across the board, with no convoluted excuses being made for racism that comes from minorities – then racism in the U.S. will continue to be an issue.

  82. This is just another reason for me not to send my daughter back to BU in the Fall. With such distinguished faculty like Grundy, it is no wonder we have such great race relations in the US who infect the minds of college coeds with her version of reality.

    President Brown: You should be ashamed. Grundy should have been fired for this level of insensitivity. I do not understand how the Trustees can keep you in that role and sleep at night.

    Bye Bye BU!!!!!

  83. Saida Grundy appears to have little knowledge of history.
    I would like to think that Boston University required a broader range of knowledge in their staff!

  84. I am deeply disturbed by the racist rhetoric of this so-called professor. All of the apologists are trying so desperately hard to justify her racism. Well, you’re privileged! But but historical context! But but systemic racism! But but diversion! Nevermind this, look over there instead!

    No amount of academic wordsmithing or misdirecrion will make her attitude any less racist.

  85. I for one am THRILLED that they aren’t firing the professor. It will serve as a perpetual reminder of the blatant HYPOCRITES that these pious academics are.

    Racism is bad, unless it’s directed toward white people. That’s the lesson they are teaching. You’ve done much “soul searching,” Mr. President? What that really means is you had to devise a way to blame her racism on someone else, so that you wouldn’t face riots when she gets fired. I find this article to be absurd – he goes on briefly about how he’s concerned about the language used, yet NOT ONCE does he use the word “racism.” It’s very revealing. Then, after the non-denouncement, they have the gall to call upon their favorite racist endorsements! Not a single dissenting opinion on all of campus? Goebbels wasn’t even this brazen.

    Once again, the lesson is this – if you’re white, don’t make racist comments, because youre evil. Pure evil. If you’re black, you’re a hero when you make racist comments. You keep your job and probably get a promotion.

  86. This is my favorite part of the article –

    “The excerpts from her Twitter feed are indeed unsettling,” said Ammerman, “but so is the really virulent response to them. ”

    Nevermind this, look over there instead! Pay no attention to this racist!

    SQUIRRRRRELLLLLLLLLLLLL!

  87. Boston University trustees, officers, and employees are expected to undertake their responsibilities on the University’s behalf with diligence and professionalism and to comply with the highest standards of honesty, integrity, and fairness. This includes, but is not limited to, being respectful of the rights of others and forthright in all dealings with members of the University community as well as third parties; protecting the privacy of confidential information; and compliance with all applicable laws, rules, and regulations. University representatives should not place their personal interests above the best interests of the University; even the appearance of impropriety must be avoided.

    Tell me, does Ms. Grundy’s comment violate the BU’s Faculty Code of Ethics? If so, which she clearly does, then she MUST be summarily dismissed per the collective bargaining agreement. She must go!

  88. These comments could be a curriculum on race and racism in America. There is sulf-justification and defensiveness, with lots of honest feeling and thought. No riots or violence, though. Could it be that we are beginning to evolve as a society?

  89. Ms. Grundy can say what she likes. My concern is that BU would hire such an ignorant individual with, by her own words, viscerally held racist views. I am the parent of two BU alumni. We are all free to disassociate ourselves from the unfounded, vile opinions she has spewed more than once. Unfortunately my children have already attended the university and are stuck with the stigma employing such an individual will have on their resumes. It is unfortunate that a minor position in a near meaningless field of study can so impact serious students. If this is what BU now stands for count me out.

    1. Her comments about private property made me think how that works in Venezuela. Most comments are about this so called “Professor” talking about her thoughts on racism but really if she feels private property is wrong, I suggest that she spend a few months in Venezuela and actually find out how that has basically destroyed this thriving and rich county.

  90. Looks like the racist is also hostile toward rape victims. She was berating a white rape victim, simply for being white.

    Also, shee comimitted identity fraud crimes, which is a felony. She got off light with a misdemeanor, most likely because the terrible white patriarchy made her do it.

    You sure did pick a winner, BU. High five?

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