DESCRIPTION:
Clemson University will strip the name of John C. Calhoun,
a supporter of slave ownership before the Civil War, from its honors
college after a petition to remove it gained over 20,000 signatures.
TRANSCRIPT:
And, what's happening at a number of colleges across the nation?
Students, demanding changes be made on campus to support unified
calls to end racism. For weeks, large protests over social injustice have taken
over major cities. This morning students at colleges and universities across the
country are making sure the messages of anti-racism echoed in the streets are
now being heard on campus. Institutions like to say everybody had equal access
to it, but it's named for a person who said the slavery is a positive good.
The board of trustees at Clemson University stripping John Calhoun's name from
its honors college after NFL stars deshaun Watson and DeAndre Hopkins who
went to the school joined over 20,000 others to sign a petition demanding it be
renamed. Calhoun the former vice president was a staunch supporter of slavery
in the years leading up to the Civil War and Clemson's campus was built on his
plantation. People asked questions like when do we stop taking the names off
the buildings at universities and my response to that of course is when there
aren't any better name for slave holders. Others stepping up and calling for
change at Texas University, as well. A group of nearly 40 student athletes have
written a letter calling for sweeping changes including renaming several
buildings on campus, and replacing the school song, The Eyes of Texas.
A song that was once performed by white performers singing in blackface.
At Liberty University in Virginia basketball star aja Todd says ongoing racial
insensitive have led her to transfer. It simply does not align with my moral
compass or personal conviction.
Her announcement coming after the president of the Christian University Jerry
Falwell in a sense deleted tweet
called out Virginia's governor to make a political
point. And, this is a sometimes uncomfortable conversation that so many people
are having across the country right now. Uncomfortable but as you said very,
very important. Well hey there GMA fans, Robin Roberts here. Thanks for checking
out our YouTube channel. Lots of great stuff here so go on click the subscribe
button. Right over, right over here to get more of awesome videos and content
from GMA every day anytime. We thank you for watching, and we'll see you in
the morning on GMA.
QUESTIONS:
1. Discuss the changes the university students are demanding to have.
2. Is racism common in your community? What forms of racist behavior
have you noticed?
3. Do you have many friends of a different race or ethnicity?
Are these differences meaningful? Explain your answer.