I thought it would be appropriate to address different challenges some college students are facing, especially in light of recent threats made on the University of Missouri, Mizzou campus. College provides a stressful atmosphere for its students; attending classes, writing papers, managing social outings, balancing studying and socializing, and the list goes on. With all of these responsibilities, it is even more challenging for some students when safety is thrown into the mix.
Threats were made earlier this month against students of color (minorities and non-whites) at the UM Mizzou campus. According to the Washington Post, As the day progressed, however, the threats turned to social media. Although their source and credibility were questionable, their ugliness was now, and they stoked fears of a school shooting and drove students - particularly minorities - from campus dorms.
Acting in the appropriate manner, many students decided to skip their classes, for fear of being the targets of yet another school shooting (another issue for another day). In response, some of the professors decided to continue holding their regularly scheduled classes. These decisions have been criticized by the students and outside parties.
A white professor, however, challenged his students to come to class, to prevent the ‘bullies’ from winning:
This professor’s lack of awareness and sympathy for his students, whom I believe have a legitimate reason to miss class, is a prime example of white privilege. We (the white population) must understand that violence on college campuses is very real, and violence against minorities on campuses is something that some students must face.
Colleges should be safe for all students, regardless of their race/ethnicity, gender and sex, sexual orientation and religion. If you’re white, the most important thing you can do when events like this occur is continue to bring awareness to the problem. Make sure that UM Mizzou is still in the spotlight, and push for investigations to ensure the safety of all of its students.
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