Student Reports Professor for Accusing Him of Falling Into a Racial Stereotype
October 26, 2016
By Erin Shanahan and Amanda Maile
Tristen Dossett, FCLC ’18, reported an alleged racially biased comment made by his professor, Heide Morgan Jonassen, this past Sunday Oct. 23. The comment was written in an email by Jonassen, which was then posted on Facebook by Peyton Berry, FCLC ’18. Berry also included Dossett’s email to Title IX in the post, which reported the incident. Berry’s post has received over 500 reactions and almost 50 shares.
Dossett’s initial email asked Jonassen for an extension on his midterm.
“It is really disappointing to see you fall into a stereotype narrative the dominant society expects… your lateness non attendance… now this,” Jonassen wrote in her response to Dossett’s request for an extension. “You are better that that Tristen… please do not do this narrative.”
This remark in the email ultimately lead Dossett to report the professor’s “racially biased comment.”
“This remark made me feel invalidated and useless as a student, let alone as a black male,” said Dossett in his email to Title IX on Sunday afternoon. “Her comment that I am becoming a (what I have interpreted as) racial stereotype deeply affected my subconscious in many different ways, as well as saddened me.”
Dossett repeated this thought in an interview with The Fordham Ram.
“The first time I read it, I didn’t think that’s what the words were,” Dossett said, “When I actually started to dive into the email I recognized what she was saying to me as a black student in America right now, I was hurt very personally. Mostly because I felt that she was misjudging me to the core of my person.”
Dossett said he was not the only student to ask for an extension. James Wygle, FCLC ’18, a caucasian student, asked Jonassen for an extension. She responded, “”This is why I give questions early and tell you all to do them early. Why are you drowning? When can I expect them?”
Another Fordham student, who asked to remain anonymous, also asked for an extension for the midterm. Jonassen responded, “Are you kidding…Friday? No [Student’s name]. I gave them to you all early…You have had weeks…You have till tomorrow. You should have planned your time better. You can do bullet points but this does impact your grade…Why should it not?? Disappointed.”
Jonassen responded to Dossett’s email of accusation early Monday morning.
“I regret that I offended you,” Jonassen said in her second email. “I felt you were not stepping up to the plate in a way you are capable of doing and personally I feel not holding everyone to the same high standards is disrespectful to someone’s capabilities. But I did presume and misspeak and I apologise for that.”
Jonassen reiterated these sentiments to The Fordham Ram on Tuesday morning.
“What I said came out as inappropriate and caused pain and was interpreted as meaning something that was not at all what I intended to convey,” Jonassen said. “I feel that in our racist society there are too often assumptions of expected patterns that are used as excuses to dismiss potential in MANY groups of people. It is something my colleagues and collaborators of color often discuss..but I think it is difficult for someone perceived as white to voice. I think Tristen is very smart and talented with enormous potential that I did not want to see damaged. I worded my concern completely badly and understand how it could be misinterpreted and cause his reaction.”
Bob Howe, director of communications at the university, said, “We are aware of the situation and the information has been sent to the provost office for investigation and possible action,” when asked about the incident.
Anastasia Coleman, Title IX coordinator, said, “The case is under investigation and I can’t discuss it.”
I really hope Heide Jonassen is not fired for this. While she came off sounding like she was accusing Dossett of being a stereotype, it is clear that her intent with the message was one of anti-racism and concern. We are taught not to claim that we “don’t see color,” and not to pretend that the biases and stereotypes in our society do not exist, because they clearly do. What this professor did was address the issue head-on, acknowledging the stereotype that she and others might subconsciously perceive, and expressed a clear desire that such perception would not take place. I agree that it was probably unnecessary to bring it up at that time, considering the sensitivity of the issue and the fact that it was not directly related to the request for extension, but we should criticize Jonassen on her imprudence and not on the matter of her concern.
I don’t think she should be fired but I do agree that this was inappropriate. She’s right in her stance that the students had time to do the assignment and she’s well within her right to not give the extension but that’s it. It’s not up to her to tell him he’s “fitting into a stereotype.”
It is extremely condescending the way you phrase the headline: “Student Reports Professor for Accusing…” instead of, you know “Professor Accuses Student of Falling into a Racial Stereotype.” As if you’re trying to divert the responsibility of the professor’s own actions and trying to imply that the student is somehow to blame for being incorrect or overly sensitive. Pretty mediocre journalism. I see a lot of redirecting of blame through language on this paper. Hopefully these student journalists will not continue this practice in the professional world if this becomes their careers.
On the contrary, I like the article doesn’t jump to suppositions of guilt and says exactly what happened: a student reported a professor for her comment. No twisting, just facts. Kudos to writers.
[…] told student newspaper the Fordham Ram he wasn’t […]
I have to say I feel this report is very fair..though understand the point about the headline. This has been a painful learning experience and a reminder that no one, not even someone who has pride in having been an activist and advocate for diverse voices my entire life in the theater, is immune to what I might call EWLAPA..
Entitled White Liberal Assumptive/Presumptive Arrogance. My biggest regret is having caused this student, and potentially other students, pain and feelings of non safety. I think the issue of intent and impact is an important one to open up in general.
That’s victimhood culture at work. A small minority of people being offended by anything is now considered a legitimate argument that it is wrong. The regressive left is responsible, and many who fight hard for tolerance are now realizing that even they are not immune to the culture of critique they have created. More people are realizing every day that a time must come when we say enough is enough. It’s time to stop worshiping every person’s feelings, because if we are honest with ourselves, it is clear that some people simply get offended by inane things.