Let’s get this straight — the governor of Virginia admitted to wearing blackface and managed to stay in office. The prime minister of Canada is on film wearing blackface more than once, and he’s still prime minister. But a university professor and composer who subjected students to blackface by screening Laurence Olivier’s “Othello” in class is no longer teaching that class and is under investigation.
Bright Sheng, professor of composition at @umichsmtd, stepped down from teaching two classes after showing a video featuring an actor in blackface.https://t.co/KIORuiDxJL
— The Michigan Daily (@michigandaily) October 6, 2021
CORRECTION: Sheng has stepped down from teaching one course.
— The Michigan Daily (@michigandaily) October 6, 2021
The Michigan Daily reports:
On Sept. 10, Music, Theatre & Dance freshman Olivia Cook attended her first composition seminar with [Bright] Sheng. This semester, the course focused on analyzing Shakespeare’s works, and the class began with a screening of the 1965 version of “Othello.” Cook told The Daily she quickly realized something seemed strange, and upon further inspection, noticed the onscreen actor Laurence Olivier was in blackface.
“I was stunned,” Cook said. “In such a school that preaches diversity and making sure that they understand the history of POC (people of color) in America, I was shocked that (Sheng) would show something like this in something that’s supposed to be a safe space.”
Sheng apologized, but his apology was criticized as well:
On Sept. 16, Sheng sent out a formal apology to the department. He wrote that after doing more research into the issue, he realized the true extent to which racism impacts American culture, adding that he failed to recognize the racist connotation of blackface makeup.
…
However, the apology has been another source of controversy among students. Students have taken particular issue with the section of the letter where Sheng lists multiple examples of how he has worked with people of color in the past.
Ah, the old “black friend” defense. That is just a socially acceptable expression of white supremacy, we’ve been assured.
The Professor, a renowned composer who survived the Cultural Revolution, showed his class at @UMich a video of Laurence Olivier playing Othello. Now he’s being investigated, vilified, & shamed for subjecting students to blackface. He apologized, but that only made things worse. https://t.co/0GrTcLT5f8
— Christina Sommers (@CHSommers) October 7, 2021
One colleague has accused Sheng of “pedagogical racism and abuse”—and she has alerted the MacArthur Foundation and Pulitzer Committee about his behavior. Imagine having a colleague like that. https://t.co/k8wR3wPT8M
— Christina Sommers (@CHSommers) October 7, 2021
Here is one of Professor Sheng’s accusers, Evan Chambers—who clearly thinks he is teaching pre-schoolers. @UMich https://t.co/wHsKjpVWFQ
— Christina Sommers (@CHSommers) October 7, 2021
These are just bad people. Evil, awful, bad people.
— Social Distance Champion (@realchrishynes) October 7, 2021
"He apologized" pic.twitter.com/ENwFkzgXls
— King VideoVader I – Commissions Open! (@VideoVader) October 8, 2021
Never ever apologize. That only emboldens them.
— Brisavoine (@brisavoine) October 8, 2021
Apologies are catnip for predators
— arthister (@arthister) October 8, 2021
Who thought* he had survived the Cultural Revolution
— Robby Soave (@robbysoave) October 8, 2021
This one is amazing. Reading the original student complaint, I kept waiting for him to get to the really damning part. He never did.
— Jeffrey Sachs (@JeffreyASachs) October 7, 2021
We’d had a tweet lined up from Sammy Sussman, who’d written a piece on Medium about the harm done by the professor, but now we are being told his Twitter account no longer exists. Looks like he got a taste of his own medicine.
Blue check under 500 follows. Curious.
— Matthew Elliott (@Matt_Elliott01) October 5, 2021
As is often the case in moral panic situations, it looks like this reporter just had it out for the professor for an old grievance. pic.twitter.com/8m0sUbxeFZ
— Rational Thinker 69 (@Rationalist69) October 7, 2021
Did they view Olivier's Otello? You're complaining about seeing great Shakespearean thespians because 1 wore makeup appropriate to a character? So glad I went to college before the Age of Insanity.
— Donna Belcinski (@DBelcinski) October 1, 2021
Damn. What a heartbreaking read. I too cry at night thinking about videos that made me mildly uncomfortable.
— “I am cum” Snake ☭🐍 (@ComradeSnake3rd) October 4, 2021
You: pic.twitter.com/aNrSQiIS22
— Silent Hill Dude (@SilentHillDude) October 4, 2021
I'm sorry this is happening to you
— Travis Mersiovsky (@TMersiovsky) October 4, 2021
I believe discomfort is now violence so…
— Richard Ruggieri (@3Ruggieri) October 1, 2021
Good lord. Is this what children are really like these days. I mean. I kinda had an idea but I didn’t realize it was this bad. People are acting like something actually happened to this kid. He saw a picture. With his eyeballs. That’s it. Jesus.
— LETS GO BRANDON!!! (@jcook555) October 4, 2021
WiThOuT aNy WaRnInG pic.twitter.com/QUKgaZbyTi
— la costurera diabólica (@hdighn) October 8, 2021
3 weeks ago, my prof. played a Nickelback video without any warning or discussion. In the weeks since, my university has struggled to respond.
— Young Goodpostingman Brown (@yomi_olympic) October 8, 2021
Show me on the doll where the 50 year old Shakespeare play hurt you
— Sly Tony Sylvester (@SlyBailBonds) October 4, 2021
I couldn’t get through the hysterics of this piece. If you don’t realize that when you wield complaints of racism you have far more power than any tenured professor these days, it’s willful resistance to reality. The world will devour you once you move beyond your safe spaces.
— Shelle Belle 🇺🇸🌈🦅💗☮️= (@shellebelleDe) October 4, 2021
— Michael Litscher (@CursiveTongue) October 4, 2021
Oh yeah, he pixelated Olivier’s face in the movie still he used to promote his post.
Thank you for pixelating the face. I'm not sure how I would have survived had I unwittingly seen the offending image. Amazing that you got through this terrible ordeal and had enough strength to write about it. So brave!
— FynbosMan (@FynbosMan) October 4, 2021
Here's the unmolested photo so that well-adjusted adults can judge the offense for themselves in the open rather than be manipulated by your censoring. pic.twitter.com/JXJVRiJL4k
— Michael Haugen (@HaugenTX) October 4, 2021
I have read your piece carefully. Professor Sheng's response seems appropriate to me. What kind of apology would have satisfied you? We will only advance an understanding of DEI through teaching and learning experiences, not castigation, however well intentioned.
— Rob Haskins (@robhaskins) October 1, 2021
They are never "well intentioned".
— Fauxmaha (@J3ffMiller) October 4, 2021
Of course it’s the Star Trek extra on crack that’s complaining. pic.twitter.com/w8kH6IvYc9
— winmau5 (@winmau5) October 8, 2021
Tampax on aisle 5
— 6Foot6 Free Thinker (@InsideTimsHead) October 4, 2021
— Scuzzy Modem (@scsimodem) October 4, 2021
Is this a damn joke? I won't RT to "shame" you…but he played the original Othello in class.
— Wilfred Reilly (@wil_da_beast630) October 4, 2021
It’s not a joke unfortunately. Have a look at his profile. He spends every waking moment looking for reasons to get offended, telling his comrades to go fetch and then laughing about it when they’ve hit pay dirt.
— john (@tbradleyjr) October 4, 2021
“Without any warning”? Your warning was “I am taking a class about Othello” pic.twitter.com/qLMIlAFqop
— Freaky Ghost Bed 👻🛏️ (@poddtadre) October 8, 2021
— Res Anxius: nuts AND selfish (@RAnxius) October 4, 2021
One time I saw a video I didn't like but I got over it
— Home Malone (@BigGiantMonstr) October 8, 2021
We hope the university has counseling in place for these students who saw the film without warning.
Related:
MIT cancels U. of Chicago geophysics professor's upcoming science lecture because of his unwoke position on 'diversity, equity, and inclusion' https://t.co/StckWGVO9M
— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) October 4, 2021
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