American higher ed is loaded with silly virtue-signaling, such as the ubiquitous DEI offices, dropping the SAT, and numerous “identity studies” programs. And now that Vladimir Putin has chosen to attack Ukraine, it’s trying to get back by canceling everything Russian.
In today’s Martin Center article, Anthony Hennen writes about this trend. He states:
Due to the imperialistic actions of Russia against Ukraine, colleges have drawn a hard line against Russia in ways they’ve avoided doing for other countries committing human rights abuses, such as China and Saudi Arabia. By doing so, they are failing in their duty to guide students to a better understanding of the world in which they live.
Among the examples Hennen points to are the University of Colorado’s decision to stop funding any research tied to Russian entities and Middlebury College’s cancellation of its Russian study-abroad program. Take that, Putin!
Hennen also notes that there has been no similar reaction to Chinese human-rights abuses extending over many years. China is a significant source of money and students, however and that seems to keep our higher-ed leaders quiet.
He correctly concludes:
To keep American students in the dark about Russia leaves them poorer and less prepared to understand international politics as well as their own. Russian history is filled with moments of societal breakdown, of reform and attempts at freedom, of tension between religion and the state, and of external and internal threats.