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Some quotes from the article makes it seem like they are more worried about the potential social and political backlash, than their personal beliefs on whether

Some quotes from the article makes it seem like they are more worried about the potential social and political backlash, than their personal beliefs on whether she has been rehabilitated. > "We didn’t have some preconceived idea about crucifying Michelle,” said John Stauffer, one of the two American studies professors. “But frankly, we knew that anyone could just punch her crime into Google, and Fox News would probably say that P.C. liberal Harvard gave 200 grand of funding to a child murderer, who also happened to be a minority. I mean, c’mon.” This is so cowardly.

Keeeeeeeks 9y ago
Along these lines, I think it was an attempt to not piss off potential donors. "I donate a quarter million a year and you give it to a black who killed her own son? Guess Yale could use a new building with my name on it" Still though, the US needs to have a good hard look at de-monetizing the prison industrial complex, humanizing post-incarcerated people, and disassembling the economic incentives to use the 13th amendment for disenfranchisement.
- danso 9y ago
  But there are potential donors who deeply care about reforming criminal justice. The Koch brothers and the Deasons, for instance: https://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/30/opinion/ruining-lives-with-criminal-justice.html https://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/30/opinion/ruining-lives-wit... I realize the op-ed linked to above mentions legislation to end harsh punishment/disclosure rules for first-time non-violent offenders, but that's a reasonable initial milestone in reforming the justice system to be more rehabilitative. You can read more about their stances as advocated by Freedom Partners, the nonprofit that they founded and fund: https://freedompartners.org/issues/ https://freedompartners.org/issues/ Including this statement of support for VA governor candidate Ed Gillespie's criminal justice reform plan: https://freedompartners.org/press/holden-keeping-virginia-safe-providing-second-chance-and-making-the-system-more-just-are-at-the-heart-of-ed-gillespies-criminal-justice-reform-plan/ https://freedompartners.org/press/holden-keeping-virginia-sa... https://edforvirginia.com/criminaljustice/ https://edforvirginia.com/criminaljustice/ > “Virginia’s criminal justice system should be just, fair and redeeming. Law enforcement and justice should be administered fairly, and when Virginians exit the criminal justice system they should leave more prepared to live a full and contributing life in society. “ – Ed Gillespie
throwaway287391 9y ago
... wow. I'm pretty shocked that a Harvard prof would admit to overturning someone's admission due in part to them being a racial minority, fearing the prospect of bad press from Fox News. Fox has really won the culture wars in a major way.
- fhood 9y ago
  Why would Harvard actually care what Fox news thinks? Honest question.
  - spaceseaman 9y ago
    What do you think most of their donors watch, practically exclusively? Gotta make sure Johnny's not going to one of those SJW / safe space / PC / ... colleges like Yale! They're trying to avoid being part of Fox's whole anti-University arc this season.
  - Balgair 9y ago
    I was going to say something more 2015-ish, but with Donny's revealing of the wizard behind the curtain, yeah, you are right. Why do they care? I mean, they have enough cash in the bank to never let another student in for 200 years, and still be just fine. They have more good-will built up than anything else out there. They make advances in human knowledge comparable to almost nothing else besides another University. They have it all. So what could they want then? The only thing I can come up with is that they do think Fox would be correct in that assumption. They aren't worried about the money. Maybe they are worried about the woman herself and just are using the Fox stuff as cover? Nothing else really makes sense.
    - anigbrowl 9y ago
      The idea that sufficient resources mean you can just ignore politics has historically proven inaccurate.
  - lucozade 9y ago
    They don't want to be a negative target of DC. DC is currently Republican led and Republican politicians most definitely care what Fox news thinks. My guess is that the profs saw this as such a perfect shitstorm that, if it becomes a major story, DC would feel they have no choice but to do something about it.
Geekette 9y ago
Worse, he's apparently a scholar on antislavery and professor of African American Studies, i.e. a demographic supposedly more cognizant of barriers minorities face and importance of their getting opportunities like admission to Harvard.
- pc86 9y ago
  I imagine there are plenty of very highly qualified scholars who, to use the professor's own words, "happen to be a minority," that never killed their infant child.
  - Geekette 9y ago
    Plenty of very highly qualified scholars who didn't grow up in the context that she did, whose backgrounds aren't comparable. Doesn't make her less deserving of this opportunity; she committed a crime and did her time, she's allowed to move on.
    - pc86 9y ago
      She absolutely is and should not have any impediments from the state in moving on with her life. Private individuals and institutions are under no such obligation, though.
      - orbat 9y ago
        Claiming that private institutions aren't under any obligations for reasonable conduct seems to be a very uniquely American ideation; that somehow only the government is bound by higher ideals, and businesses can do what they please with whoever they please as long as someone signs a contract
      - Geekette 9y ago
        Nobody's disputing the rights of private institutions but everybody has a right to express their distaste over their actions, especially when it is arrived at in a manner which runs against what such institutions claim to stand for.

Keeeeeeeks 9y ago

Along these lines, I think it was an attempt to not piss off potential donors. "I donate a quarter million a year and you give it to a black who killed her own son? Guess Yale could use a new building with my name on it" Still though, the US needs to have a good hard look at de-monetizing the prison industrial complex, humanizing post-incarcerated people, and disassembling the economic incentives to use the 13th amendment for disenfranchisement.

danso 9y ago
But there are potential donors who deeply care about reforming criminal justice. The Koch brothers and the Deasons, for instance: https://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/30/opinion/ruining-lives-with-criminal-justice.html https://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/30/opinion/ruining-lives-wit... I realize the op-ed linked to above mentions legislation to end harsh punishment/disclosure rules for first-time non-violent offenders, but that's a reasonable initial milestone in reforming the justice system to be more rehabilitative. You can read more about their stances as advocated by Freedom Partners, the nonprofit that they founded and fund: https://freedompartners.org/issues/ https://freedompartners.org/issues/ Including this statement of support for VA governor candidate Ed Gillespie's criminal justice reform plan: https://freedompartners.org/press/holden-keeping-virginia-safe-providing-second-chance-and-making-the-system-more-just-are-at-the-heart-of-ed-gillespies-criminal-justice-reform-plan/ https://freedompartners.org/press/holden-keeping-virginia-sa... https://edforvirginia.com/criminaljustice/ https://edforvirginia.com/criminaljustice/ > “Virginia’s criminal justice system should be just, fair and redeeming. Law enforcement and justice should be administered fairly, and when Virginians exit the criminal justice system they should leave more prepared to live a full and contributing life in society. “ – Ed Gillespie

throwaway287391 9y ago

... wow. I'm pretty shocked that a Harvard prof would admit to overturning someone's admission due in part to them being a racial minority, fearing the prospect of bad press from Fox News. Fox has really won the culture wars in a major way.

fhood 9y ago
Why would Harvard actually care what Fox news thinks? Honest question.
- spaceseaman 9y ago
  What do you think most of their donors watch, practically exclusively? Gotta make sure Johnny's not going to one of those SJW / safe space / PC / ... colleges like Yale! They're trying to avoid being part of Fox's whole anti-University arc this season.
- Balgair 9y ago
  I was going to say something more 2015-ish, but with Donny's revealing of the wizard behind the curtain, yeah, you are right. Why do they care? I mean, they have enough cash in the bank to never let another student in for 200 years, and still be just fine. They have more good-will built up than anything else out there. They make advances in human knowledge comparable to almost nothing else besides another University. They have it all. So what could they want then? The only thing I can come up with is that they do think Fox would be correct in that assumption. They aren't worried about the money. Maybe they are worried about the woman herself and just are using the Fox stuff as cover? Nothing else really makes sense.
  - anigbrowl 9y ago
    The idea that sufficient resources mean you can just ignore politics has historically proven inaccurate.
- lucozade 9y ago
  They don't want to be a negative target of DC. DC is currently Republican led and Republican politicians most definitely care what Fox news thinks. My guess is that the profs saw this as such a perfect shitstorm that, if it becomes a major story, DC would feel they have no choice but to do something about it.

Geekette 9y ago

Worse, he's apparently a scholar on antislavery and professor of African American Studies, i.e. a demographic supposedly more cognizant of barriers minorities face and importance of their getting opportunities like admission to Harvard.

pc86 9y ago
I imagine there are plenty of very highly qualified scholars who, to use the professor's own words, "happen to be a minority," that never killed their infant child.
- Geekette 9y ago
  Plenty of very highly qualified scholars who didn't grow up in the context that she did, whose backgrounds aren't comparable. Doesn't make her less deserving of this opportunity; she committed a crime and did her time, she's allowed to move on.
  - pc86 9y ago
    She absolutely is and should not have any impediments from the state in moving on with her life. Private individuals and institutions are under no such obligation, though.
    - orbat 9y ago
      Claiming that private institutions aren't under any obligations for reasonable conduct seems to be a very uniquely American ideation; that somehow only the government is bound by higher ideals, and businesses can do what they please with whoever they please as long as someone signs a contract
    - Geekette 9y ago
      Nobody's disputing the rights of private institutions but everybody has a right to express their distaste over their actions, especially when it is arrived at in a manner which runs against what such institutions claim to stand for.