The University of Cincinnati is investigating comments a music professor made on a Muslim student’s assignment after they were shared on social media. Among the professor’s notes: “July 4th is not the day we tape a sign to a damn stick and go out and march with smug college brats and dysphoric drama queens.”
College-Conservatory of Music Assistant Professor Clifford Adams’ comments first went public Thursday when another UC student posted a photo of the exchange on Facebook. Fay Alwattari’s post shows that her friend wrote about the song “Walk on Water” for a class assignment: “I am a Middle Eastern Muslim female therefore Trump’s presidency and all the hate he has promoted and encouraged has impacted my family, friends, and I. This song restores my faith in America by depicting what America is really about and why we celebrate July 4th. It includes a diverse range of people from white, black, young, old, straight and gay all coming together to celebrate the birth of a country that is built off the idea of freedom.”
Adams’ responses, according to the screenshot: “The U.S. President’s first sworn duty is to protect America from enemies, and the greatest threat to our freedom is not the President, it is radical Islam. Review this list of Islamic terrorist attacks and then tell me about your hurt feelings. Now, about Muslim females. As you well know, young Muslim women are murdered by their father or a brother for dating – or for holding hands with – a non-Muslim boy … Muslim females are safer in America than in any Middle Eastern country. How dare you complain while enjoying our protection! And just FYI: July 4th is not the day we tape a sign to a damn stick and go out and march with smug college brats and dysphoric drama queens, it is a federal holiday commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. I am glad you took my class; you really do need to shut up, listen, and learn. Welcome to America, and welcome to college. – Adams”
The comments were able to be seen by all students in Adams’ online “What’s Hot in Popular Music” class, according to Alwattari’s post. When contacted, Adams said he wasn’t aware the incident with the student was made public on social media. He said couldn’t comment because he hadn’t seen the Facebook post. It had been shared 99 times as of Monday afternoon.
CCM Tribunal President Connor Howard released a statement that said the members of the student government group do not support the rhetoric that Adams espoused. “I’m very disappointed, albeit not surprised, that such an incident has occurred within CCM,” Howard said. The incident was reported to UC administrators, including CCM’s interim dean, and it is being investigated by UC’s offices of Academic Personnel, Equal Opportunity & Access and Title IX. “The University of Cincinnati takes seriously all concerns for discriminatory or harassing conduct occurring within its community and pursuant to its policies, will conduct an appropriate review,” UC spokesman Greg Vehr said in a statement. “Our commitment to excellence and diversity are affirmed in UC’s very mission statement and fundamental to our very purpose as a public university.”
Source: https://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/2017/10/30/university-cincinnati-i…
