PROFESSOR’S DESCRIPTION OF RACIAL IDEOLOGY UNDER FIRE

SDSU defends right to use stereotype to make his point

San Diego State University students expressed outrage Tuesday over a professor’s use of a cultural stereotype about Blacks in an online class — anger that was followed a short time later by campus officials defending the teacher’s right to make a point about racial ideology.

The statement by SDSU officials was posted in response to a brief clip on Twitter of Professor Robert Jordan giving an online lecture.

“In the :50 video, the professor gives an example of a racist view or ideology,” the SDSU statement said. “Professor Jordan insists the clip in no way represents his personal views or opinions.

“To be clear, SDSU does not tolerate acts of marginalization, racism and hatred based on personal background, identity or skin color.

“The :50 clip is part (of) an hour-long lecture highlighting examples of how racism and discrimination have been portrayed in television and film, like the Roots and Holocaust miniseries of the 1970s, over time.

“The goal of the course is to discuss how television and film, through portraying these very real, racist events in history, are able to help viewers better understand the plight and continued struggles of people with different backgrounds or identities than their own.”

In the clip from his class — described in the clip as “Hollywood and Ideology ... our beliefs, values, assumptions about the world around us — both as individuals and as communities” — Jordan refers to stereotypes and says:

“I don’t believe in them at all so don’t, you know, please don’t assume that,

you know, I am teaching that the Earth is flat OK.

“So let’s say our assumptions, umm, I might have an assumption that Black people are just not as intelligent as White people. Oh, I can hear already people getting all riled up, right. I can believe that.

“That was the way I was raised. Umm, that’s just the way that you know my values are. It doesn’t mean I am going to come and lynch you. It doesn’t mean that I am going to do something attacking you. It might mean that I won’t hire you.

“But you know what? It’s the way I believe. It’s the way I think. Maybe in my head I am saying well isn’t that the way everybody thinks? I can go way back all the way to the silent movie era and show you how very ...”

A student identifying himself as Jay said on Twitter, “this is actually ridiculous. Professor Robert Jordan it’s time to pack it up.”

University President Adela de la Torre could not be reached for comment. Luke Wilson, SDSU’s associate vice president for faculty diversity and inclusion, deferred comment to the university’s statement.

Jordan also could not immediately be reached for comment.