Amid controversy public univ ‘proud’ of campaign teaching students white skin is ‘unfair’

In a statement released Thursday, the University of Wisconsin – Superior stood by its sponsorship of a controversial messaging campaign aimed at teaching students it is “unfair” to be white.

An image produced by the Unfair Campaign shows a Caucasian individual with the words “is white skin really fair skin” sharpied on her face.

“The goal is to promote racial justice and greater understanding of the thorny, persistent issues about racism,” read the statement released by the school.

“UW-Superior was proud to host diversity dialogues that took place throughout the campus last year,” it added. “In keeping with its mission as a public university, UW-Superior convened these public events to demonstrate respect for diverse cultures.”

As Campus Reform has previously reported, the controversial project, named the “Unfair Campaign,” aims to teach college students that “systems and institutions are set up for [whites]” and as such is “unfair.”

Posters produced by the group feature a number of Caucasians with slogans such as “is white skin really fair skin?” scribbled in marker across their faces.

The statement released by the university also alleges that media outlets including Campus Reform had falsely reported that the university had “used its classrooms and faculty to formally instruct students about the campaign.”

In a Feb. 6, interview with Campus Reform, however, spokeswoman Lynn Williams highlighted such instruction as part of the school’s sponsorship.

“We have also have faculty talk just about it in their classrooms and talk about the campaign and their reactions to the campaign and then that kind of starts the conversation in response from there,” she said.

In mid-2012, the University of Minnesota – Duluth dropped their partnership with the Unfair Campaign and labeled the project “divisive” and “alienating,” after a Campus Reform investigation brought unwanted national attention to the school.

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