White hot debate
Emotions ran high at the RSU board members meeting Monday when a motion to publicly denounce the “I’m A White Minority @ Ryerson” and “White Culture Club” Facebook groups was debated for two hours.
At the meeting, it was alleged that a board member was part of one of the groups. His or her identity was not revealed but the member was “encouraged to immediately remove themselves from these groups.”
Some board members tried to take out three quarters of the motion so it would only include mandatory anti-racist training and workshops for board members. Supporters of the entire motion were distressed, especially RSU vice-president Education Nora Loreto.
“I cannot believe we’re actually debating this,” said Loreto, her voice choking as she wiped away tears. She told the board about her experiences growing up in a nearly all-white community as someone of Italian descent, having to endure racist jokes.
“It is so offensive and I’m losing respect very fast for people who say this is not racist,” she said in response to the amendment to only pass part of the motion.
That amendment did not pass. Instead the majority voted to pass the whole motion. Those who earlier wanted to cut down the motion abstained from voting.
The passed motion includes a public denounciation of the Facebook groups, encouragement that the RSU board member disassociate themselves from the groups, that an information sheet on white privilege be distributed to board members as well as mandatory anti-racist training for all board members.
The RSU plans to post a statement on its website soon.
Comments
kevin richard, over 3 years ago said:
I\'d thought I\'d express my feelings abou this whole issue as I am fairly sure that it will get bigger in the weeks to come.At first I was signed up to this facebook and the face book groups to follow, but have decided to distance myself for the reasons that follow. At first I was completly brought aback and angered on the positions of RSU ,the university and the Ryersonian. While I still feel that all three groups have missed the overall message I think both sides involved in this issue need to look at what they are doing.
What I think these facebook groups have done is bring a legitimate concern about the state of RSU and its clubs that affect us all, not as individual groups but as a collective whole. I think we need to look at the club system as a whole and determine if this truly represents our campus and allows everyone to join in , and also see if instead of having an integrated diverse population if these groups are perhaps having the oposite and negative effect creating segmented cliques based on ethnicity and religion.
To sum my thoughts up ( I tend to be very long winded) that this is not a White/black/ whatever issue, this is an issue that the university as a whole needs to look at, as our demographics will continue to change. I feel both sides have been misguided, the RSU/Ryersonian labeling this an issue of Racism and \""white privledge\"" and these facebook groups labeling themselves as a White minority because in the end I would like to think that we are all one student body with concern for one another and that is why we need to determine if the current state of the RSU and its clubs is really the right fit for what the university is and what it will be changing into in the coming years.
Flag this as spam/abuse
Nora Loreto, over 3 years ago said:
I need to set the record straight: At no point in the debate did I claim to be discriminated against for being Italian. I did not elude to it or say it outright at all during the RSU board meeting.
Flag this as spam/abuse