Members of the OU Black Emergency Response held a sit-in at Evans Hall two days after the second racist incident involving OU faculty in two weeks.
This incident involved an OU history professor using a racial slur in class while reading from a historical document. OU Interim President Harroz and SGA President Justin Norris released separate statements following the incident.
Protesters are now calling for a list of changes including mandatory diversity training for faculty members, the creation of a multicultural center, and a semester-long class to replace OU's current diversity training.
Participants in the protest have used the hashtag #TheHateYouHire throughout the protest. Here are some tweets using the hashtag:
For those of you who think this is “about a word”- it’s not. It’s deeper and more pervasive and completely unacceptable. I see you. As a Jewish and Native student, I stand with you. I strike with you. #thehateyouhire https://t.co/vZKUIgBd8B
— Graham Aryeh (@chahtaboy97) February 26, 2020
It is extremely apparent that OU’s problems surrounding race are not based on students’ past experiences. Now it’s shown that bigotry and hate are normalized and perpetuated in the classroom. #TheHateYouHire
— trev (@trevor_davis_) February 26, 2020
My friends should not have to be student activists AND full-time students because of OUr university’s inaction to deal with racism. #TheHateYouHire
— Javi (@javiouslyy) February 26, 2020
It’s unfortunate that the choice between going to class and supporting my community is causing me unnecessary anxiety. Thank you, OU, for taking away from the education I pay you all 10s of thousands for#TheHateYouHire
— kay (@kaaywwaa) February 26, 2020
@BERT_OU #TheHateYouHire They been hiring racist faculty for a long time!!! They been hiring racist upper administration for a long time!!!They been hiring racist staff for a long time!!!We stand in solidarity with the students at OU. You will be heard!
— Unheard (@OU_Unheard) February 26, 2020
I am here sitting in Evans Hall on a hunger strike with other members of @BERT_OU until our demands are met by @UofOklahoma. No more meetings. No more talking. Meet our demands or starve us of our freedom. #TheHateYouHire
— A. Miles Francisco (@SDFRAN_) February 26, 2020
I am on a hunger strike and I will sit here in this place, until @BERT_OU demands are met. @UofOklahoma we are done with the meetings. We are done with the press releases. We want to see real change and we want it now #TheHateYouHire
— Jamelia R. Reed (@maverick_ple) February 26, 2020
