#Roommates, despite the fact that we’re in the year 2020, people still continue to try it when it comes to matters of race. Students at a local Oklahoma City high school were outraged when a college recruiter decided to line the students up based on their complexion and hair texture because he thought it was “a game.”
@Complex reports that a college recruiter from Oklahoma Christian University was recently fired after making the 11th grade students at Oklahoma City’s Harding Charter Preparatory High School line up according to their complexion from lightest to darkest—and based on their hair texture from “straightest to nappiest.”
The students in attendance during the recruiting assembly stated that the recruiter claimed that the lining up was presented as a game. According to reports, he wanted to see which students could line up the fastest according to the guidelines he presented. However, student Rio Brown said that their teachers left the assembly in disgust once the recruiter started making them play the game specifically categorizing them based on their outer appearance.
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Brown also said this of the humiliating encounter:
“He barely talked about the school itself. He told us to line up nappiest hair in the back and straightest hair in the front. Teachers left. They were crying and they were offended. Their faces just look disgusted. I know they had a talk with him after, like, ‘That’s not okay.’”
Oklahoma Christian University confirmed that the recruiter is no longer with school and released a statement regarding the incident, “OC admissions leadership did not approve the inappropriate activity in advance and has communicated closely with Harding administration since the visit.”
Principals from Harding Prep released their own statement:
“As you are aware, our school is visited by many college representatives each year to recruit the most hardworking students in the state of Oklahoma. Unfortunately, an incident occurred this Monday when a college recruiter from Oklahoma Christian University led a group activity with our students that involved inappropriate and hurtful statements. The Harding Charter Preparatory High School governance board, administration, and staff does not condone any behavior and/or language that undermines our community’s values. Our community, from its inception, has valued diversity, inclusion, and a safe and supportive learning environment. We will continue to do so.”
Reps from the school will personally visit Harding Charter Prep to offer a personal apology to all the students who attended the assembly. While the name of the recruiter has not been publicly released, he was described by students as a white male.
Roommates, what are your thoughts on this?
