Tulane hosts anti-racism teach-in with profs divided by race

Tulane University hosted an anti-racism “teach-in” which handed out 500 copies of esteemed Critical Race theorist Ibram Kendi’s book.

This year’s “Anti-Racism and Equity, Diversity, Inclusion Teach-in” for Tulane faculty was said to help the community achieve five learning goals: becoming anti-racist, understanding how oppression works, knowing “intent vs. impact,” understanding “class marginalization, paternalism, and patriarchy,” and building community to organize against racism.

[RELATED: University asks students to ‘pledge to practice antiracist behaviors’ in full-throated endorsement of BLM movement]

The first 500 registrants for the event received free copies of Be an Anti-Racist: A Journal for Awareness, Reflection, and Action — a workbook written by Boston University professor and leading critical race theorist Ibram X. Kendi that retails for $12.49. The first registrants will also receive a “special mask with the 5 Anti-Racist and EDI Teach-In key learning goals.”

According to the schedule, after Kendi delivered the keynote address, faculty seperated to join “virtual lunches with affinity groups that are congruent with their identity” and “come back together after these lunches to debrief the learning from the day.”

“Affinity groups” include the categories of “Asian/Pacific Islander,” “Black,” “Chinese,” “Latinx,” “LGBTQ+,” “Indigenous,” and “Faculty and Staff Living with Disabilities.”

In addition to these groups, there existed a special “White Anti-Racist Learning Community.”

[RELATED: Sacramento State asks profs to cancel class for for antiracism-themed convocation featuring Ibram Kendi]

Segregated training sessions are becoming increasingly common at American universities.

At the University of Kentucky, outrage ensued after RAs were divided into two groups — “one for RAs who identify as Black, Indigenous, Person of Color and one for RAs who identify as White” — to discuss “microaggressions and microinvalidations.”

[RELATED: U Kentucky creates two RA groups: ‘One for RAs who identify as Black...one for RAs who identify as White’]

Campus Reform reached out to Tulane University for comment; this article will be updated accordingly.

Follow the author of this article on Twitter: @BenZeisloft