Pepperdine Dean Denounces ‘Liberal Indoctrination’ And Urges Trump Vote, Pouring Gas On Campus Unhappiness
Written by 991KBU on November 11, 2020
THIS STORY HAS BEEN CORRECTED, SEE BELOW
Pepperdine University politics are going to spill over on the Pacific Coast Highway this morning.
Students plan a protest over the lack of racial equity progress at the university.
Pepperdine is owned by an organization affiliated with the Church of Christ … a very conservative Protestant congregation.
And one of its high ranking deans has infuriated Minority and liberal students at the University.
School of Public Policy Dean Pete Peterson’s sent out an email and petition four weeks before the election.
It denounced so-called leftist ideology and indoctrination.
Peterson was critically critical of the New York Times and its 1619 project.
The 1619 project is a re-examination of American history … written by historians …. and it won a Pulitzer Prize.
It reframes our nation’s heritage through the lens of slavery and racial discrimination.
For many conservatives … that’s heresy.
For many liberals … and particularly people of color … the 1619 project is a long-overdue and honest examination of US history.
Peterson eventually apologized for sending out the petition under the aegis of Pepperdine University.
Students like Heather Rouse say Peterson’s apology is far too little and to late.
NEWSCART 73103 HEATHER ROUSE PEPPERDINE ONE
“This has left a lot of students … faculty and staff really disheartened and outraged by the lack of support shown by the university.
“And black students and faculty don’t feel heard at all.
“It’s basically just created a really divisive environment where many departments have released statements that have claimed their support for Peterson … and many individuals voiced their support for Peterson and claimed that he simply made a mistake … and that we are not showing God’s grace … by asking for his removal from the position.”
The Pepperdine student says the Trump endorsement … and the slam against those exposing racism in US history … came at a very sensitive time at Pepperdine.
In an Oct. 28 email, Pepperdine President Jim Gash told the entire student body and staff the school has work to do.
Not enough … says Rouse.
NEWSCART 73102 HEATHER ROUSE PEPPERDINE TWO
“Pepperdine from the internal perspective claims this status of ‘diverse’ and ‘accepting’ … and that’s not what we see in the actions of the university but that is kind of the face they make to us.
“They have created this entire organization where they are served searching for a chief diversity officer … but that’s kind of all that they’re doing.
“It makes it really harder to go to a university where we are told day day in and day out that ‘we are diverse in that we are diverse and we are accepting of more kinds of people and all kinds of people and we love everybody because God loves everybody.’
“But that’s not the experience that everyone has.”
The controversial the email was posted a month ago.
The professor has apologized for putting Pepperdine in this position.
And University president Jim Gash issued a statement two weeks ago.
Here is gash’s statement … as voiced by a KBUU reporter.
NEWSCART 73107 GASH STATEMENT
“We reject all forms of racism in our community and stand united with our Black students, faculty, and staff
“We also believe it isn’t enough to just listen and to enhance awareness.
“We must take action that leads to a broad and abiding sense among our entire community that Pepperdine is a community where everyone belongs.”
Pepperdine University president Jim Gash … in a written statement read by KB UU reporter.
That statement falls far short of what the minority students want.
And those students will be out on Pacific Coast Highway this morning … with protest signs.
THIS STORY WAS CORRECTED AT 11;10 PM WEDNESDAY TO REFLECT THAT PEPPERDINE IS NOT OWNED BY THE “CHURCH OF GOD” BUT RATHER AN AFFILIATE OF THE CHURCH OF CHRIST. THE PETERSEN LETTER DID NOT ENDORSE DONALD TRUMP, BUT ECHOES CLAIMS MADE BY TRUMP.
