Woman at center of controversial Smith College incident pens letter on ACLU website calling for

[TexasTowelie]

Woman at center of controversial Smith College incident pens letter on ACLU website calling for 'affinity housing' for students of color


NORTHAMPTON -- Oumou Kanoute, the 20-year-old Smith College student at the center of a recent controversial incident on campus, has penned a public letter about her experience, calling it a "nightmare" and outlining policy reforms she believes are necessary at the school.

On July 31, campus security was called on Kanoute as she ate lunch in a dining area at the school. Kanoute claims the call was made because a staff member believed she did not "belong" at the school because of her race.

A Smith employee recently refuted Kaoute's interpretation, arguing security was called not because of racial bias but because Kanoute was eating in a building that was closed for the day.

Kanoute's recent letter was published on the website of the American Civil Liberties Union. The ACLU recently announced its intention to provide counsel to Kanoute for the incident.

Read more: https://www.masslive.com/news/index.ssf/2018/09/smith_college_student_pens_let.html

[brush]

1. It was necessary to call security on someone eating where they shouldn't be eating?

The school should be embarrassed to issue such a bullshit statement. You don't call security you just ask the person to move.

Such silly, cya bullshit from a university.

God!

[Loki Liesmith]

2. Affinity housing is a foolish and racist idea

Is the ACLU arguing for this? If so time to rip up my membership.

[dlk]

3. If She Was Only Eating Lunch in a "Closed Building," Why Not Just Ask Her to Leave?

"Eating lunch while black" does not rise to the level of activity requiring a call to security. Something smells funny. Also, if the building was "closed," how did she get inside? Is the school accusing the student of breaking and entering?

[PoliticAverse]

4. According to one of the links in the article...

https://www.masslive.com/news/index.ssf/2018/09/smith_college_staff_member_spe.html

NORTHAMPTON -- A longtime Smith College employee says a colleague's July 31 call to campus police was "never an incident of racial bias," but an honest mistake by a staff member who followed protocol after seeing someone in a building that was closed at the time.

"As staff, we are told that if there is a stranger in our area we are not to approach them; we should call Campus Police, which the accused staff member did," Tracey A. Putnam Culver wrote in a letter to Smith College President Kathleen McCartney and other administrators.