The University of South Florida (USF) allegedly prevented a White student from attending a mental health meeting on campus because of his race.
According to a report from Campus Reform, USF officials prevented Andrew Davis, a White male USF student, from attending one of its “Understanding Self and Others” meetings on October 2022 because he was not a member of the Black, Indigenous, or people of color (BIPOC) community.
On Oct. 3, 2022, Davis emailed the USF Counseling Center to ask about attending the BIPOC-only meeting since other meetings conflicted with his schedule.
“I am interested in attending a USO group meeting after completing the pre-group appointment but the only day/time that works for me is Wednesdays during the BIPOC students-only group. I am not a BIPOC student but was wondering if I would still be able to attend?” Davis asked.
“Unfortunately, we do need to keep this space specific to BIPOC folks … Hopefully you’ll be able to catch another one either during Winter break and/or next semester,” the USF Counseling Center responded to Davis.
On Oct. 5, 2022, Davis filed a complaint with USF’s Office of Compliance & Ethics; He did not receive a response until Feb. 8, 2023.
“The Counseling Center will not prohibit any category of student [from] participating in specialized counseling groups unless specific exception or a medical mandate is identified that may support exclusivity,” it responded.
USF’s Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (ODEI) has received criticism after conservative activist Christopher Rufo investigated it; His investigations demonstrated the extent that USF is teaching Critical Race Theory (CRT).
Rufo wrote an article for “City Journal,” stating that USF’s academic departments “promote ideological conformity” and exclude groups that find themselves contradicting the “identity hierarchy.”
SCOOP: University of South Florida created a racially segregated psychological conditioning program and explicitly denied entry to a white student on the basis of race. "Unfortunately, we do need to keep this space specific to BIPOC folks," said USF psychologist Darleen Gracia. pic.twitter.com/S1e9S02st8
— Christopher F. Rufo ⚔️ (@realchrisrufo) February 16, 2023
One of the documents provided by Rufo, a statement that USF’s School of Interdisciplinary Global Studies allegedly issued after the killing of George Floyd, accuses the U.S. of “structural racism.”
“Knowledge about the ongoing history of institutionalized, structural racism and white supremacy and their interactions with other forms of oppression is critical to building a just, equitable, and democratic future for the United States,” it reads.
“Education on these issues is one of the School of Interdisciplinary Global Studies’ main missions,” it continues.
In January 2023, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) announced a legislative agenda that would eliminate funding for schools promoting racial ideologies.
