Hundreds of Ithaca College students staged a walk-out to protest the “injustices students of color face on this campus and other colleges nationally,” and they are now calling on their school’s president to resign.
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According to a Facebook event page the students felt empowered after the University of Missouri president was forced to step down this week.
They chanted “Tom Rochon. No confidence” during the walk-out where they lay down on the pavement in order to fight against “covert and overt racism.” Many held up signs saying, “I Stand With POC at IC,” (People of Color at Ithaca College), or “Black Lives Matter,” according to The Democrat and Chronicle.
On Nov. 30th students and faculty plan to take a vote of confidence in President Rochon and ask him to step down from his position.
This all stems from an incident in October when a woman of color said she had a “savage hunger” to succeed during an alumni event but was offended when others referred to her as a “savage.”
Rochon released a statement that said in a free society the campus cannot have a thought police.
“In general, the college cannot prevent the use of hurtful language on campus. Such language, intentional or unintentional, exists in the world and will seep into our community. We can’t promise that the college will never host a speaker who could say something racist, homophobic, misogynistic, or otherwise disrespectful. Even so, we reaffirm our commitment to making our campus an inclusive and respectful community.”
Apparently he should have arrested anyone who even gave so much as a side eye to another college student.
As you can see from the tweets below, most demonstrators were white and looked like they went to the alternative prom.
Ithaca College students are forming a walk-out for President Rochon to resign.
Photo by linz245 (on IG) pic.twitter.com/B8f53IUjwG
— Fresco News (@fresconews) November 11, 2015
The center of campus is just filled. Students from Campus Center to the fountains. pic.twitter.com/wbnpYGBel3
— Kelsey O’Connor (@ijkoconnor) November 11, 2015
Video: Protesters chant ‘No confidence, Tom Rochon’ in walk out calling for Ithaca College President Tom Rochon’s … pic.twitter.com/qOKnDWbG0p
— SavageNation (@SavageNation) November 11, 2015
The academic quad is silent. Hundreds have gathered for the Solidarity Walk Out @IthacaCollege #POCatIC pic.twitter.com/bjk3QsOQsM
— WHCU Radio (@WHCURadio) November 11, 2015
