Cal Poly president says blackface photo is “free speech”
Cal Poly students decried racism and lack of diversity at school during a forum hosted by the university president, Jeffrey D. Armstrong, on Thursday evening.
Hundreds of Cal Poly students filled up the auditorium at the Performing Arts Center to hear Armstrong’s response to the blackface photo controversy. The viral photograph, taken on April 7, depicts one Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity brother with his face painted black. Another picture shows other fraternity brothers dressed in stereotypical gangster clothing.
Students have been asking the university to ban and expel members of the Lambda Chi Alpha chapter on campus, but the president says that’s unlikely.
” That is not an appropriate way to run any university,” said Armstrong. “I don’t know any university that works that way. And I’m sorry if my answer pains you.”
Armstrong says that’s because the students’ actions are protected under free speech. But some students of color disagree.
” You say that hate speech is free speech. It’s not!” said one female student.
She said this isn’t the only instance of racism at Cal Poly.
” I don’t feel welcome on this campus and I don’t spend extra time [here] and I don’t plan on coming back when I’m done.”
President Armstrong insisted diversity on campus is a priority, but students at the forum disagreed.
” That’s a lie,” a fourth-year student said. “If it was a priority we wouldn’t be in this situation right now.”
” It seems that administration will continue to sweep this under the floor like past events,” said another male student speaker. “When students at other universities have been expelled for blackface at Texas and Arkansas.”
” The last thing we will do on this campus is sweep something under the rug,” replied Armstrong.
Speakers pressured him about what he would do specifically to address the alleged lack of diversity at Cal Poly. One school administrator said they’re working on hiring and training more faculty and staff on issues affecting people of color, modifying coursework to address those issues, and continuing their minority student recruiting efforts.
Both the university and the Lambda Chi Alpha national headquarters have temporarily suspended the fraternity’s chapter at Cal Poly. A couple of members at the local chapter have also stepped down.
