Trump and College Chaos
By Walter E. Williams
TownHall.com
If one needed more evidence of the steep decay in
academia, Donald Trump's victory provided it. Let's
begin by examining the responses to his win, not
only among our wet-behind-the-ears college students,
many of whom act like kindergarteners, but also
among college professors and administrators.
The University of Michigan's distressed students
were provided with Play-Doh and coloring books, as
they sought comfort and distraction. A University of
Michigan professor postponed an exam after many
students complained about their "serious stress"
over the election results. Cornell University held a
campuswide "cry-in," with officials handing out
tissues and hot chocolate. One Cornell student said,
"I'm looking into flights back to Bangladesh right
now so I can remove myself before Trump repatriates
me." The College Fix reported that "a dorm at the
University of Pennsylvania ... hosted a
post-election 'Breathing Space' for students
stressed out by election results that included
cuddling with cats and a puppy, coloring and
crafting, and snacks such as tea and chocolate."
The University of Kansas reminded its stressed-out
students that therapy dogs, a regular campus
feature, were available. An economics professor at
Yale University made his midterm exam "optional" in
response to "many heartfelt notes from students who
are in shock over the election returns." At Columbia
University and its sister college, Barnard, students
petitioned their professors to cancel classes and
postpone exams because they were fearful for their
lives and they couldn't take an exam while crying.
Barnard's president did not entirely cave, but she
said, "We are, however, leaving decisions regarding
individual classes, exams, and assignments to the
discretion of our faculty." She added, "The Barnard
faculty is well aware that you may be struggling,
and they are here for you." At Yale, it was reported
that the "Trump victory (left) students reeling."
Students exhibited "teary eyes, bowed heads and
cries of disbelief" and had the opportunity to
participate in a postelection group primal scream
"to express their frustration productively."
Whether you are a liberal or conservative, Democrat
or Republican, you should be disturbed and
frightened for the future of our nation based on the
response of so many of our young people to an
election outcome. We should also be disturbed by
college administrators and professors who sanction
the coddling of our youth. Here's my question to
you: Does a person even belong in college if he
cannot handle or tolerate differing opinions? My
answer is no. What lies at the heart of
multiculturalism, diversity and political
correctness is an intolerance for different
opinions. At Brown University, some students claim
that freedom of speech does not confer the right to
express opinions they find distasteful. A while
back, a Harvard University student organization
representing women's interests advised law students
that they should not feel pressured to attend or
participate in class sessions that focus on the law
of sexual violence if they feel that it might be
traumatic. Such students will be useless to rape
victims and don't belong in law school.
In a previous column, I cited an article on News
Forum For Lawyers titled "Study Finds College
Students Remarkably Incompetent," which referenced
an American Institutes for Research study that
revealed that over 75 percent of two-year college
students and 50 percent of four-year college
students were incapable of completing everyday
tasks. About 20 percent of four-year college
students demonstrated only basic mathematical
ability, while a steeper 30 percent of two-year
college students could not progress past elementary
arithmetic. NBC News reported that Fortune 500
companies spend about $3 billion annually to train
employees in "basic English." Many of today's
college students are not only academically
incompetent but emotionally so, as well, and do not
belong in college.
These college snowflakes and their professors see
themselves as our betters and morally superior to
ordinary people. George Orwell was absolutely right
when he said, "There are notions so foolish that
only an intellectual will believe them."