Harvard Rescinds Admission Of Parkland High School Student's Admission Over Racist Comments

They had already set the record for consecutive ignored posts, 60% toward an ignored thread page, but noooooo... somebody had to break the string.

 

If I were a person of lesser character I'd say you probably got your marching orders from the leftists or you've bought into some propaganda. But I give people a little more credit than that. I recommend you do the same.

It's not too hard to assume that all universities have codes of conduct that can be massaged quite liberally to kick people out of school or deny them admission. At the end of the day it's subjective and completely up to the discretion of those in power. I've never argued it wasn't, either.

You should probably not assume my intent or motivations. You think his behavior and the context and circumstances mean he shouldn't go to Harvard. I don't agree. That's as far as this goes. Everything else beyond that purely subjective value judgment we're all entitled to make is extra and pretty much the reason this thread exists and why this story made the news to begin with.

"No big deal" is probably not a great way to go about describing this because that means different things to different people. I don't cast aspersions at you or make judgments about your character because you disagree with me about what should happen to him vis-a-vis Harvard. That's a silly game to play.

Not really. I'd feel the same way about any kid in the same circumstance.

 

Sure, but that doesn't mean everything should be considered or considered equally (or be a deal breaker).

Someone from MSD HS sent these private digital records to the Harvard admissions committee as retribution against Kushav. So, if you have any enemies going to Harvard, you certainly know how to get back at them now.

It's not just "OK" to whomever is on the receiving end of such an attempt to up-end their life after they have already begun their studies, cut checks, moved across the country, etc. I would hope that Harvard puts a bit more thought and effort into cases involving present students.

It raises an interesting question. Wasn't there recently a girl hired to the New York Times editorial board who had a litany of not-sure-if-serious very racist and misandrist sh1tposts on Twitter about white men? She didn't get fired as far as I know. I imagine that the blowback Harvard would get for a similar circumstance would be minimal, if any.

College admissions work however the admissions committee wants them to work.

It's not just an ideal. It's the guiding principle. Without it, you may as well close up shop across the board. To CF's credit, I've had my mind changed and opinions swayed in many ways on many topics here over the years. Ate plenty of crap along the way, but it's all good.

The only way Parkland is related here is because Parkland gave Kashuv fame, especially in conservative circles. Harvard having the liberal reputation it does, especially in the wake of what happened to Larry Summers, etc, it's just an unfortunate collision of politics in arena where it shouldn't be happening. I can confidently say that I would feel the same way about this happening to any other kid. Everyone is entitled to their imaginary vote on Harvard's admissions board. That's simply my vote.

 

You're pretty on point that this kid will be fine, if not more than fine. His folk hero status with the right is now basically etched in stone. He will have a nice gig set up for him at a conservative network or thinktank whenever he finishes at whatever other ivy he ends up at.

It is funny to me how both ends of the spectrum are losing their minds over this.

One the one hand you have conservatives claiming victim status and showing a raging persecution complex, on the other hand you have liberals virtue signaling their asses off and clutching their pearls as they head towards the fainting couch.

 

Well, i think we can see why. Some American almost moved from the edge of one bubble ... (I can hardly type this) ... into a different bubble. LOUD NOISES! CAN'T HAVE THAT!

Seriously, that's what I hate about this. More bubble reinforcement. Less real communication between people who aren't already in the same bubble.

 

I have mainly two issues with this.

One: old social media posts. What is the statute of limitations on one's history that's applicable to your current character? 2 years? 10 years? 1/2 your age + 7? People change. Teenagers change quickly and often do stupid things without realizing the consequences. People should be held accountable, but I'd give them a chance to explain before going the nuclear option.

Two: Harvard already accepted the kid. He made plans to go there and declined offers and scholarships from other schools. Students have graduated and are already starting orientation. It's too late to pull the plug. It doesn't seem right.

 

Somewhere in the rubble there's a genuine conversation to be had here about social media, kids, employment, doxxing, etc. Instead we're just drowning in a sea of tribalism and finger wagging.

 

yes

 

Just to get this straight- When determining admission it's okay for Harvard to evaluate a student's four year academic and extracurricular performance, but the evidence that he liked to throw around "n!gger" two years ago is out of bounds. What the ****.

 

doubt Harvard is applying this scrutiny/standard to all applicants

impure thoughts as a teenager that he is clearly sorry for should not be a disqualifier

 

Harvard, like any institution, company or individual, have the right to choose not to be associated with a person who made racist comments-- whether the racist comments were made 2 years ago or 2 hours ago. The student here says he isn't racist any more-- Harvard's admissions officers, like any of us, get to judge for ourselves whether this claim is credible or not.

 

No admissions office has the energy to do a deep-dive for past comments on every applicant, but if something of this nature comes to their attention, particularly on an applicant who has a great deal of media attention, it is reasonable for a college to decide they don't want to be associated with this student (and the attendant public relations headache) when there are plenty of other good applicants on their waitlist.

This student's racist comment might very well have not garnered any attention had he not become famous. But we live in the actual world, not a hypothetical one where he never became famous and his comments stayed hidden. So the admissions office has to deal with the world as it exists.

 

I am going to one comment this thread because it isn't important.

This is stupid, and people calling for the blood of a student need to get a life.

 

Ain't nobody calling for his blood. Just an admission office deciding that they prefer another very well qualified student on their wait list.

 

This part bothers me. He must have passed up opportunities to accept his spot at Harvard, and when they go back on their word, he bears the cost. They didn't reverse themselves because of some new thing the kid did, but for old things that their application process wasn't good enough to consider. Sounds like Harvard's own mistake. The other thing that bothers me is the vindictiveness of having classmates releasing private messages to submarine your chance to go to Harvard. The environment they find themselves in by choosing to be activists after the shooting seems like a boiler, but just trying to imagine if one my classmates betrayed me like that in my much more chill high school.

Beyond that, Harvard's within their rights. What a kid does in 10th grade is relevant to college applications and they reserve the right to pull your invite. I believe the kid that it wasn't really sincere and that he's matured since then. His public appeal was a good one. But they still don't have to take him. He wouldn't be wrong to feel like he was wronged in some ways in this episode -- but it'd be a lot healthier for him to reflect on the things he did and the people he hurt to precipitate this chain of events.

 

I see the point. I also can see it as a consequence of racism. I am in the middle on this one.

 

pretty sure that's not allowed in the D&D

 

...you can't use a "personal responsibility" argument like that here...

 

I agree people change, and digging into the past is rather lame--if someone has already been admitted. I think it resembles the "Me Too" movement, and I'm not about to say more/get flamed on that. But I think Harvard can do it, and I have zero sympathy for Harvard or Harvard people.

Agreed. I dunno the story though.

Harvard has enough money to do more. Fine with me if you expect them to.

Principle/ideal. . . . Tomato/tomahto. . . . Yeah, maybe a lot of close minded institution/voters/posters ought to "close up shop," because their minds are ossified.

I don't take seriously the label of "liberal," so maybe that's why this is not ringing my bells. To me, I would say a conservative institution of rich people that is 382 years old did some rich-people ****, and oh, a guy with racist posts got dinged when he wanna join the Harvard club. Aw.

CNN loves to say "Parkland."