Ivy League School Offers Rock Climbing Class for Everyone But White Students

If I’m understanding correctly, America did a lot of work for nothing.

Decades ago, it was decided that colorblindness was a virtue and integration was a must.

The idea of individuals’ character being considered rather than color caught on quite a bit.

Efforts were made toward such, and the effects were evident:

Old school. pic.twitter.com/oaTTnj3Dd4

— Alex Parker (@alexparker1984) February 18, 2021

Now, it appears, all that’s been declared indecent.

Routinely, Americans are being categorized as they were in the 50’s — white and nonwhite (“people of color”).

Cartoon Network’s reminding a new generation to always recognize race:

It’s a notable reversal.

And as we aspire to the heights of moral clarity, Cornell University’s encouraged the climb partitioned by pigment.

As reported by Campus Reform, a physical education course for the Spring 2021 semester is advertised as “BIPOC Rock Climbing.”

Here’s the purported original description via a web archive:

Come climb with COE and take part in the Cornell climbing community! We will introduce you to rock climbing movement and techniques, belaying, equipment, knots, rappelling, and safety at the Lindseth Climbing Center. Courses ensure a high degree of individual attention and a supportive space to explore the vertical world! Graduates of this course will have the knowledge and skills to push themselves to new challenges while climbing safely and responsibly. We will also talk about BIPOC individuals and groups in rock climbing.

This class is for people who identify as Black, Indigenous, Latinx, Asian, or other people of color.

The description’s since been changed; now it states the endeavor’s “designed to enable Black, Indigenous, Latinx, Asian, or other people of color underrepresented in the sport of rock climbing to learn the sport and to feel included and supported.”

Per the revision, the rockin’ activity will provide a “supportive space” and a “high degree of individual attention” in which participants will discuss “BIPOC individuals and groups in rock climbing.”

And just so you know, it’s “open to all Cornell students interested in learning rock climbing with this special focus.”

It seems the class is especially fitting for people of privilege: The one-credit course costs the standard single-credit amount of $1,890 plus a fee of $315.

Here’s CR with more:

When asked for comment, John Carberry, Cornell’s Senior Director of Media Relations and News, issued a statement to Campus Reform claiming that “all Cornell students” are “welcome” to enroll in the course, contradicting the original course description.

Carberry insisted that the course’s original description reflected an “intentional focus” on “outreach and inclusion,” but that there was “never” any intention to exclude students that don’t identify as BIPOC.

John continued:

“All Cornell students are welcome to enroll in this course. While the original description of the course represented an intentional focus on outreach and inclusion, there was never an intent to exclude non-minority students. The description of the course has been adjusted accordingly.”

A Reddit page isn’t quite cool with the class. Titled “End Racially Segregated PE Classes at Cornell,” it’s gotten some attaboys.

Yet one commenter explained, “The intention of this class is to provide an affinity space for BIPOC students to feel comfortable and extra supported in a historically white dominated area of outdoor recreation. This class is not intended to be segregating, but inviting.”

Another user asserted it’s a win for diversity:

“There are also climbing classes for women. As with the posted section for BIPOC, women are not forced to enroll in female-only sections or prevented from taking a different section. In an effort to draw underrepresented populations to particular subjects – or particular activities – offerings may be created to make underrepresented students more comfortable in unfamiliar surroundings. This draws more diversity into the pool of participants. This is only segregation if you consider HBCU to be segregated.”

Concerning the original class description, the state of New York may or may not approve.

From the attorney general’s site:

Students in New York schools are protected by federal, state, and local laws that prevent discrimination on the basis of race, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, religion, disability, and other categories.

As I recently wrote, these days, “we’re stuck in a cable news channel — it’s All Politics, All the Time.”

The constant conversation’s enough to make you climb a wall.

But if you climb it, you’ll have to talk politics on your way up.

Cornell charges students $1,800 for racially-segregated rock climbing class, frantically scrubs website when confronted – https://t.co/0LPeKKB6yD

— clevelandwest (@clevelandwest) February 23, 2021