Thread by @TalcottNYC

Is Grove City College going woke? Two things can be true at once:

1) GCC is one of the most conservative, solid schools out there. It has done a good job resisting the foolish zeitgeist.

2) GCC has some problems. Some staff and faculty have taught/teach woke-stuff.

Both are true. If you doubt the former, that is for a different thread. But if you doubt the latter, I am sorry to say there is overwhelming evidence it is true.

Last month concerned parents and alumni sent an open letter to the college president:

petitions.net/save_gcc_from_…

There are specific allegations, including a CRT-promoting chapel speaker who was intentionally brought in by the chaplain, RA training from the multi-cultural director that included teaching "inner racism, white privilege and white guilt,"

An education class that promotes CRT and teaches Ibram Kendi's book on anti-racism, Diversity Council reading groups promoting CRT ideas, and several examples of GCC departments asking applicants for their preferred pronouns.

The president responded with an open letter, basically saying that none of the main concerns holds water and that most of them are based on misunderstandings

gcc.edu/Info/A-Respons…

That was a missed opportunity to say "Thank you for bringing these concerns to our attention. We take them seriously, and if any of our programs, staff, or faculty, are out of accord with the college mission and its Christian Worldview we will take the necessary steps."

Soon after, there was an expose article in the American Reformer, which raises real concerns about the president's response and shows additional evidence in support of the original petition. There is more and more damning evidence about the chapel speakers and education class.

americanreformer.org/wide-awoke-at-…

And now comes another expose article in the Daily Wire, connecting GCC with other colleges who are much further along the slow drift into progressivism: dailywire.com/news/how-woke-…

No Christian college is perfect. Every Christian college has elements that need reform. GCC is indisputably one of the least woke colleges in the country in the grand scheme of things.

That makes it all the more important that the leadership of GCC not deny real problems.

Christian higher education really does have a problem -- progressive ideas have seeped deeply into nearly every college. I and others, including @truthXchange, have sought to bring this to light. For example: truthxchange.com/2021/07/seattl…

Here is another case study of how widespread this issue has become.
thefederalist.com/2019/12/26/don…

The word is getting out and parents are wisening up. A broader range of conservative outlets now see how widespread the problem has become: firstthings.com/web-exclusives…

Telling parents and alumni that they're not really seeing progressivism is wrong and not believable on its face.

Leaders of conservative schools should not pretend their institutions are problem-free.

Honesty is the best policy. If we've messed up, we should own it.

Owning up to genuine problems creates long-term credibility. It shows people you are honest and that if there are real problems you will fix them rather than covering them up.

Attempted cover-ups destroy credibility. If leaders will cover up X they will also cover up Y.

Ten years ago Cedarville University had turmoil over getting rid of several professors who couldn't sign on to the statement of faith. It was highly controversial. But, they proved: we will maintain fidelity to our stated mission. #Credibility

insidehighered.com/news/2013/01/2…

I'm just a random philosophy professor, not a college president. But, my advice to Christian college leaders is simply this: don't assume conservative parents are naive. Over half this country is conservative and they don't want progressive higher ed.

When the advertised mission doesn't match the in-person reality, the word will get around.

The country is in the middle of a "national conversation" on education, driven by CRT and lockdowns in the public schools. Parents are aware of these issues and cannot be easily snookered.

Honesty builds credibly. Don't deny. Work to fix.

These thoughts written particularly with tomorrow's conversation in mind: @JeremyTate41 @soren_schwab @megbasham @truthXchange @MWellertXc @JoshuaGielow @CLT_Exam @realDailyWire @FDRLST

I don't have direct contact information for everybody involved, otherwise I would also send these thoughts privately. My faculty email is available on the TKC website and I would love to talk further with anyone interested. Christian higher ed is a most valuable inheritance.