THE NEW APARTHEID

By: Roy Douglas Malonson

We are seeing many changes in our communities, and even our schools. Consider the events that are currently taking place at the historic Prairie View A & M University, which is known as the largest HBCU in the state of Texas. The current President Dr. Ruth Simmons, who has been president of Prairie View since 2017, has decided to step down from her role four months earlier than the original date. Her last day would have been June 1st, now that has changed to the end of February.

e abrupt leave is due to di erences with the Texas A&M University System Chancellor John Sharp regarding hiring over the rest of

Dr. Simmon’s Term. It was noted that she could remain as president but only with “limited presidential authority.” She disagreed with this notion and decided to resign early. Dr. Ruth Simmons said, “My immediate response was that I could not and would not agree to being president in name only. No enduring good can arise from subservience to low standards and expectations.” Again, it all comes down to power and control.

Prairie View A &M was established during the Reconstruction period a er the Civil War. It was the rst college in Texas that was created for Black people. Apartheid cont. on pg. 3