Letter to the editor

Dear Waltonian,

I write expressing my heartache at the Monday April 4 forum regarding the article, “An Unjust Acceptance Rate…” Many were hurt by the article. They must be heard and their concerns addressed, but the forum did so in a way that caused more harm than healing.

The forum assumed the author’s intent was “Inner-city students have low test scores and are lowering Eastern’s standards.” This is simply not the case and it pains me to see authority figures at Eastern affirm these assumptions.

The article didn’t intend to blame inner-city students, though I see where ambiguity led to this conclusion. Rather, it criticized the notion that all students with low test scores are from the inner-city saying some students, afforded every opportunity, have low test scores out of laziness.

The article did NOT say inner-city students are lazy, as many imply it did. Clarifications weren’t permitted at the forum.

The author did not mention race in the article. Yet many readers took “inner-city” as code for “black” then exaggerated its implications to defame the author instead of discussing the point. She was declared “racist” and viciously berated, not about her views, but her intelligence, faith and family by students and, unfortunately, faculty alike. Still, few stop to ask what she meant.

The real issue is that Eastern students are divided and inner-city students are marginalized. But instead of discussing this Eastern authorities engage in name calling and reinforced divisions with disregard for truth.

I love Eastern but I now feel I’m surrounded by hypocrisy. Matthew 18:15 says “If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you…” Instead we attack our sister as an angry mob. Where is the faith, reason or justice in that?

                             Respectfully,

                            Rachael Stout, Sophomore