Racism has been prevalent all around the world for a very long time. The United States still struggles to beat racial prejudice, even after the significant improvements of the Civil Rights movement. This issue has not only flooded the states, but has rooted itself in their school environments as well. Within this broad context, educational institutions like Cal Poly San Luis Obispo have had a much more difficult time trying to prevent racism from occurring on their campus. The infiltration of racism throughout educational institutions creates an environment where students and faculty members feel unsafe and unwelcome. Addressing this issue requires much more strict enforcement measures, awareness campaigns, and efforts to create a more diverse…show more content… I was not used to seeing the predominant race being white. Although I am also white, this made me slightly uncomfortable. The fact that there was almost no diversity in the area made me question the rationality of this. To provide an example, in my dorm tower that holds about sixty-five people, only three girls are not white. After living in my freshman dorms my first year, I came to realize how abundant racism is here. For example, there are two girls that live on my floor, one who would casually say the N-word, and the other who has uncontrollable micro-aggressions towards people of color and those who are disabled. I became revolted and disgusted at the idea of knowing them personally, which has since led me to avoid them. Although I assumed this was the full breadth of the situation, I was wrong. This was, unfortunately, just the tip of the iceberg. The issues that arise on our college campuses result from a lack of education and awareness, along with the lack of strict enforcement and diversity within the campus as a whole. Cal Poly’s track record with racism is not clean whatsoever. The school has encountered countless racist incidents where students were able to get away with their…show more content… He also states:...Cal Poly students and faculty gathered in the University Union plaza to protest the act of presenting the flag and noose, but to also protest the lack of action being taken. Despite stiff opposition to the lack of response, the Cal Poly administration did not budge in their decision to not prosecute the students involved. (Malik 4). This not only represents the lack of care for the situation presented, but also highlights the unwillingness of the school to listen to their students and staff or take any sort of action upon the students responsible. The school should not allow students to get away with committing hateful acts, as doing so sends a troubling message that suggests a tolerance for hateful behavior. Failing to hold these students accountable for their actions also diminishes any sense of safety and inclusivity that the school should be providing. If Cal Poly held students responsible for their actions and incorporated firm disciplinary actions, then the amount of racist incidents like this one would
