In February, I covered the case of the Ivy League school’s rock climbing course.
Per a web archive, the original description went as follows:
Come climb with COE (Cornell Outdoor Education) and take part in the Cornell climbing community! We will introduce you to rock climbing movement and techniques, belaying, equipment, knots, rappelling, and safety at the Lindseth Climbing Center. Courses ensure a high degree of individual attention and a supportive space to explore the vertical world!
Sound good?
Here’s a twist:
We will also talk about BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) individuals and groups in rock climbing.
Cornell Students Defend Racially Segregated Rock Climbing Course
Participants say segregation is necessary to create safe spaces (PRAKASH MATHEMA/AFP via Getty Images) Alex Nester • May 4, 2021 2:52 pm
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Cornell University students expressed support for racial segregation after the school allowed white students to enroll in a rock climbing class originally restricted to minority students.
Cornell first offered BIPOC Rock Climbing in the spring of 2021, exclusively to people who identify as Black, Indigenous, Latinx, Asian, or other people of color. The school removed the racial enrollment requirement in response to a
Cornell Daily Sun that segregating the class is a small step toward greater racial equity.
Students at Cornell defended the university’s decision to segregate a rock climbing course in the name of anti-racism.
According to the Cornell Daily Sun, a local school paper, controversy ensued when news of the class, “BIPOC Rock Climbing,” where BIPOC stands for “black, indigenous, and people of color,” triggered outrage and a “wave of media coverage” which led the university to remove the initial ban on white student enrollment.
“This class is designed to enable Black, Indigenous, Latinx, Asia, or other people of color underrepresented in the sport of rock climbing to learn the sport and to feel included and supported,” the course description reads.