Why quoting my book on racial justice is a problem for Christian college professors

[Jilly_in_VA]

Jemar Tisby

In his classic book, "The Souls of Black Folk", renowned Black scholar W.E.B. Du Bois begins by asking the question white people often hint at but seldom say outright: "How does it feel to be a problem?"

For many far-right Christian institutions of higher education, my name and my work have become a problem. For them, I seem to have become an avatar of all that is wrong in modern racial justice work.

A professor at Taylor University, Julie Moore, quoted from my book, "The Color of Compromise," in the introductory narrative to her syllabus, and according to her provost this was a problem. In a meeting in which professor Moore was informed that her contract would not be renewed for the upcoming year, she asked the provost to cite the reason for her removal.

According to the Religion News Service, "When pressed for details, Taylor Provost Jewerl Maxwell said there had been complaints about assigned readings on racial justice in Moore’s classes. Maxwell named one author as problematic in particular. ... 'Jemar Tisby is the main focus,' Maxwell told Moore."

Mind you, professor Moore had not actually assigned any of my readings to her class. She merely quoted me in her syllabus.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2023/06/07/christian-colleges-problem-jemar-tisby/70293114007/

Reich-wing Christian colleges, he means. Of course they would have a problem.

[CurtEastPoint]

1. dear God 'Jewerl' (WTF?) is an Obama hater, too. Shocking!

[WorkDoctor]

2. Fired on the flimsiest of "evidence"

Really? A quote on a syllabus?

A bit like the non-reading mother whose complaint led to banning the work of the young poet laureate. She never read the stuff about which she complained.

But the lazy & feckless Provost, too?

As a recovering academic myself, very glad to not have to be subject to such whims in so-called institutions of higher education.

[Grins]

3. I'm going to buy that book! Thanks!

It’s the type of history I like to read.

[AwakeAtLast]

4. Ah, Taylor University

Built in the middle of nowhere, so that students would literally be "100 miles away from any form of sin".

I do love me some Ivanhoe's, though!