3 critical lessons from campus racial flashpoints that we ignore

In recent years, the removal or renaming of statues and monuments, mascots, and even institutions have captured national attention and prompted heated debate over how we should grapple with histories and legacies of racial oppression.

But what institution leaders may not recognize is many campus flashpoints that seem unconnected to removing visible symbols of oppression are often rooted in the institution’s historical legacy of racial harm. Caught up in the controversy of the moment, leaders can overlook a valuable opportunity to use campus flashpoints as a starting point to investigate their institution’s racial legacy and use this knowledge to improve the current campus climate.