Students at Harvard’s Kennedy School will now be required to check their privilege

[Starry Messenger]

(Maybe they could offer a webinar for others....!)

http://www.salon.com/2014/05/13/students_at_harvards_kennedy_school_will_now_be_required_to_check_their_privilege/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=socialflow

If Tal Fortgang, the Princeton freshman who refused to check his white privilege, ever wants to go to Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government, he’ll have to change his tune significantly — or at least spend some time seriously evaluating it, thanks to a new orientation class requirement called “Checking Your Privilege 101.”

New York Magazine’s the Cut reports that “in response to growing demand from student activists, administrators committed Friday to adding a class in power and privilege to its orientation program for incoming first-year students.”

Reetu Mody, a first year masters student in public policy, organized the movement that eventually led to the course addition. Mody recently told the Crimson that she started HKS Speaks Out in response to the disappointment that her courses “didn’t really address race at all” when examining policy issues. The group’s first session attracted about 80 students last fall, and a recent petition attracted more than 300 signatures — about a fourth of the school’s student population — to push the administration to offer “mandatory privilege and power training.”

A recent 80-person demonstration, which attempted to illustrate the invisible but omnipresent power advantages that people of dominant races, classes, sexual orientations, or genders benefit from, drew positive attention and constructive dialogue with the school’s administration.

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[msongs]

1. everybody going there is already privilieged, so there will be lots of checking to do nt

[JI7]

2. remember the incident involved harvard professor Gates ?

[Starry Messenger]

3. That poster is a one-shot wonder.

Your answer is correct though.

Also see the #itooamharvard campaign.

http://www.buzzfeed.com/alisonvingiano/21-black-harvard-students-share-their-experiences-through-a

[JI7]

5. what many are pretty much saying is that even if they face these things they should still not

complain because they are still going to a good school or have a good job, car etc. and they have things i don't have so i don't care if they face things like bigotry.

[Eleanors38]

4. What is a passing grade?

[FarCenter]

6. Harvard students are smart enough to come up with right answers

without believing a bit of it.

[Eleanors38]

7. LOL! Hoary riddle: How does Harvard graduate the best?

It only accepts the best.