A Cultural War: Giving an Inch on Campus- Political Correctness is destroying Academia

The phrase give an inch and they will take a mile means making small concessions to someone will allow that person to take advantage of you in a much larger way.

Wouldn’t you know it? When the West Virginia University Chief of Police W.P. Chedester had a Thin Blue Line flag displayed on a wall in the background during a recent hour-long video conversation on diversity, equity and inclusion on campus, many students and professors alike organized a protest and took a position that this “clearly communicates especially to our Black students, Indigenous students and other students of color that their lives do not matter and they are not welcome here.” Media reports referred to the flag as a “Blue Lives Matter flag.”

Captain William P. “W.P.” Chedester II (photo credit: WVU Photo)

In a statement released by Chedester, he said the flag was given to him as a gift. “For me personally, it has always represented a way to honor the commitment I made as a first responder to protect our community. I understand now that it represents something else to many others; something that I now know was traumatic to some of our community tuning in for our conversation. I sincerely did not have any intent to suggest that police lives matter more than black lives, nor was I intentionally trying to cause any harm or offense. Sometimes, there are events that occur that open our eyes to things we have not seen before. The horrible killing of George Floyd has made it clear that we have much work to do in our country and in our own communities. Today I saw a symbol through others’ eyes. As a leader on our campus, I will be more conscientious, intentional and thoughtful. As a community, we also need to lead in that direction” the statement said.

So instead of standing up for the diversity, equity and inclusion of his officers and agency, by instead relenting and removing this flag, open debate and dialogue on different points of view have been stymied and replaced by even more demands.

(Photo Credit: Shutterstock)

The Solidarity for Equality and Compassion (SEC) of West Virginia University has now called for the campus police department to be defunded and effectively disbanded, sending a petition to West Virginia University President E. Gordon Gee, stating those demands, and saying those funds should be reallocated to fund black university initiatives.

The petition lays out a five-step plan that is “needed to provide a safe and open university for students to attend from West Virginia, the U.S. and all over the world.”

1. Prohibit Confederate flags and symbols on all public spaces of the University.

2. Disarm University Police. Having officers work under the campus name who carry firearms does not create a welcoming and inclusive space, especially for black, Indigenous, and people of color students and visitors.

3. Require yearly bias and sensitivity training, as well as bi-annual town halls with the campus police so students and faculty can voice any issues, complaints and queries.

4. Re-route a portion of the policing budget to aid in the mental and social welfare of students, particularly to the Carruth Center and the WVU Division of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.

5 .Foster a working relationship with the Morgantown Police Department for any calls needing armed backup, as well as sporting and entertainment event backup.

An official statement by the university reads in part: “Black Lives Matter at West Virginia University, and we are committed to ensuring that all are respected and welcome on our campus. We are strongest together, and together we can stand against intolerance.”

So where is all of this heading? Silencing competing views is not the answer. I say that, in fact, Black lives matter, blue lives matter, history matters and freedom to express our views and discuss our similarities and differences in a civil and decent way matters, too. We must be able to engage in what some will find to be difficult but possibly enlightening conversations. Isn’t that what freedom of speech and education is supposed to be all about?

Officers at West Virginia University or elsewhere must not be sacrificial lambs on the altar of “political correctness” as police chiefs fail to defend lawful enforcement operations and stand their ground on freedom of expression, thought and debate. Lack of leadership and failure to speak truth must not be deciding factors in the future of our profession, university and college campuses or our nation which has been built on our Constitution, freedoms and the rule of law.

Joel E. Gordon is a former Field Training Officer with the Baltimore City Police Department and is a past Chief of Police for the city of Kingwood, West Virginia. He has also served as vice-chair of a multi-jurisdictional regional narcotics task force. An award winning journalist, he is author of the book Still Seeking Justice: One Officer's Story and founded the Facebook group Police Authors Seeking Justice. Look him up at stillseekingjustice.com