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Let’s talk about the juxtaposition of universities putting out Black Lives Matter statements while threatening faculty, teaching assistants, some admin staff and all janitors with financial/professional devastation if they don’t go along with fuckshit reopening plans.
Let me start by pointing out that some classes can’t be taught as well in person with social distancing guidelines as they can be taught online. Problem solving sessions where students are supposed to work together are not feasible with 4 people standing 6 feet apart.
Let’s consider that in places like Boston, the home of Boston University which is currently threatening its TAs with a loss of visas, many janitors are from Black immigrant communities: Haitian, Dominican, Cape Verde, and elsewhere.
Let’s think about the proposition that faculty are supposed to police student social distancing and masking. This isn’t like plagiarism where no one gets physically hurt if the rules are violated.
IF THE RULES ARE VIOLATED HERE, PEOPLE MIGHT DIE. People might die anyway.
IF THE RULES ARE VIOLATED HERE, PEOPLE MIGHT DIE. People might die anyway.
Now let’s talk about the fact that Black faculty often have their authority disrespected in the classroom. And here we are talking about the potential for physical altercations with students. None of us are trained for this. And it’s not our job.
https://twitter.com/ibjiyongi/status/1276309838306455553?s=21 https://twitter.com/ibjiyongi/status/1276309838306455553
https://twitter.com/ibjiyongi/status/1276309838306455553?s=21 https://twitter.com/ibjiyongi/status/1276309838306455553
Black teaching assistants? Literally universities don’t seem to give a fuck about teaching assistants but let’s remember that Black TAs are facing a heavier burden than many of their peers right now. More likely to have faced COVID-related losses too.
Black faculty, staff and students are all being asked to do more right now in the name of “Black Lives Matter” but y’all won’t even do us the common fucking courtesy of not adding to our risk by not putting us in enclosed spaces with a killer virus and non-compliant students.
If Black Lives truly mattered to you all, you wouldn’t be robbing my days with your ridiculous misuses of ADA, illegal accommodation deadlines, exactly zero helpful training for online teaching, and the threat of dealing with non-compliant and racis students.
The way we are increasing the exposure of janitors, rather than just paying them to stay home — which is what’s safest — will translate into more disproportionate Black deaths. Yes, even in northern New England. 25% of Maine covid cases are Black. 1.4% of the population.
I don’t know about all the other Black faculty out there but I’ve been called on multiple times in the last few weeks, including getting put on a committee without my permission (and having to do the work of removing myself).
On top of my work organizing #Strike4BlackLives (14 hour days for 2 weeks straight, basically) I had to deal with sorting out shit with individual faculty, collecting other faculty, and dealing with non-Black people who were in their feelings.
And I have probably been shielded somewhat by people seeing me attach my name to the #strike4blacklives call which specifically said — and I’m paraphrasing — “I don’t want your fucking diversity and inclusion panel.” Don’t ask, the answer is no!
(And I am not surprised my professional societies responded with panels on diversity and inclusion and how to use empathy for professional gain)
We are doing all of this extra work right now, we are not being paid, and we are spending hours upon hours every week planning for social distance teaching in a universe that is materially different from the one we actually live in.
The cognitive dissonance is a lot. I’m tired.
The cognitive dissonance is a lot. I’m tired.
