Increase in Protests Against Racial Inequality at American Universities

Recent protests by American students against racial inequality have spread to various universities across the United States, coinciding with the resignation of a senior academic official. Following one of the recent protests at Claremont McKenna College (CMC) in Los Angeles, Mary Spellman, a senior official at the college, resigned on November 12. The protests were triggered by an email Spellman sent to a Latino student, in which she stated that CMC is working to serve 'those who do not fit the college's mold.' Education at this liberal arts college costs nearly $46,000 per year for students. Previously, a group of about 30 non-white students at the college had written a letter to the college president expressing feelings of isolation. A month prior, a Mexican student from a low-income family had stated in an article for the college newspaper that he felt his presence at the college was unwelcome. In response to this article, Mary Spellman had emailed the Mexican student saying, 'We are working to improve our service conditions for our students, especially those who do not fit the CMC mold.' This last statement led to a student gathering and ultimately Spellman's resignation, although university officials claim her resignation was a personal decision. However, Claremont McKenna College was not the only site of recent protests. According to Reuters, protests against racial inequality have also spread to prestigious universities such as Yale and Ithaca College (a private college in New York). The recent protests are part of the movement known as 'Black Lives Matter,' which has evolved into a widespread effort for racial equality and has, in some instances, sparked large demonstrations in cities across the United States. These protests have largely occurred following the deaths of several Black citizens at the hands of police in the country.