Avast ye scallywags! Dismissing Harvard's Claudine Gay won't heal the scurvy that plagues this fancy academy!
2024-01-03
Arr, me hearties! On Tuesday, January 2, the likes of Claudine Gay walked the plank and resigned as captain of Harvard University. Her scandalous reign be just a mere symptom of a mighty trouble that won't be fixed by her scuttlin'.
Harvard University and American higher education are facing a deep-rooted problem that has been spreading for decades. The recent controversies surrounding former Harvard President Claudine Gay and pro-Hamas university students are just symptoms of this larger issue. Gay, who was hailed as a symbol of equity and inclusion, faced problems when students expressed support for Hamas' violence and when she defended anti-Jewish hate. She was eventually replaced by a Jewish professor, but the problems that led to her presidency won't easily go away.Gay's appointment was largely driven by identity politics, as she checked important boxes for being a Black woman with left-wing opinions on racial questions. This focus on political representation overshadowed qualifications and led to a deterioration of the institution's standards. Additionally, Harvard's commitment to marginalized voices was revealed to be superficial, driven by liberal politics rather than truth.
Although Gay's departure may be seen as a positive development, it doesn't address the underlying problem. Harvard's declining applications, major donor defections, and negative publicity haven't resulted in real accountability or efforts to address the rot within the institution. The focus on identity politics and diversity, equity, and inclusion programs has deeply embedded this problem in universities across the country.
The series of scandals involving Harvard have exposed the mediocrity of elites and the moral decay they are imparting to future leaders. While there are some good ideas among faculty members to fix the problem, it will require hard work and the willingness to confront powerful enemies. Merely demoting individuals and issuing suspensions won't be enough to cure the deep-rooted issue.
Overall, Harvard and American higher education need to address the root cause of their problems rather than treating the symptoms. The current state of these institutions is far from the greatness they once represented, and a true cure will require significant effort and change.