Viking News Vol. 95 Issue 6

Debate: How professors should handle racial slurs in the classroom

VIKING NEWS

Students walk out of theater class after they say professor used N-word

‘I WANT THAT MAN FIRED.’

LGBTQ professors spearhead new learning cohort for LGBTQ students

By Cain CarBajal

In light of increased turmoil surrounding LGBTQ issues across the country, an effort to support incoming LGBTQ students has begun in the form of a new LGBTQ-centric learning community at LBCC.

“We want students to know there is a community here,” Jen Nellis said, the professor who pioneered this project.

Learning communities are a way to encourage student success. Students in the cohort would share three core classes, attending them together as a means to ensure they know at least one other person in their college classes.

Long Beach City College will become one of the few community colleges in California to have an educational cohort dedicated specifically to LGBTQ students.

Nellis cited the rising number of anti-LGBTQ laws proposed across the nation as the catalyst for proposing this learning community.

Since the beginning of 2023, the American Civil Liberties Union, a law firm that

focuses on defending and preserving the civil rights and liberties of Americans, has tracked over 400 anti-LGBT bills across the nation. Of these, 38 have passed into law, 341 are advancing in their state court systems and 87 have been defeated.

“We need learning communities like this now more than ever,” Paul Savoie, another political science professor involved with the cohort said.

Savoie signed on to teach the cohort’s government or history class and was immediately on board to join the cohort of faculty involved in this new endeavor.

“All of our students on campus need to have an enhanced sense of belonging, especially coming out of COVID,” Savoie said. “It’s just another way of telling students you belong here.”

Unlike established learning communities like UMOJA and PUENTE, groups to help ethnic minority students learn and thrive in community college and beyond, there are no set standards or guidelines for curriculum structure.

Beginning with three general education courses including a first year English, history and government course, Jen Nellis

hopes to expand the cohort curriculum to include an ethnic studies course and other English classes.

Nellis will be teaching the learning community’s version of English 1. While the curriculum has not been finalized, she said she would be incorporating more

readings from LGBTQ authors as part of her updated curriculum.

Faculty members involved with the cohort will meet in May to further discuss the goals of this new learning community and solidify course curriculum. The cohort is set to begin in the fall 2023 semester.

Professor placed on leave over use of N-word

By Cain CarBajal

A theater professor was placed on leave after three Black students said he used the N-word during class, prompting them to walk out of the room on April 24.

“I want that man fired. He should not be teaching at a college,” Kyro Davis, one of the students who walked out said.

According to two students in the class, a white professor, Greg Mortensen presented students with a script containing racist language during a one-on-one scene exercise. A white student then privately raised concerns over using such language in an academic setting.

Mortensen explained to the student that in a setting where such language is part of a greater context, it is OK to say. When the student pushed back on this idea, Mortensen opened up the conversation to the entire class.

When students disagreed with the notion of using uncomfortable language in a classroom setting, he stood firm, justifying the necessity of saying such words.

Mortensen then gave a personal anecdote about his father who served in the military alongside his friend in the south.

According to students there, Mortensen explained how his father often recounted his Black friend’s story of being discriminated against by a white

man, saying the exact phrase the man used against his friend, which included the N-word.

Students say he did not censor his use of the slur.

The reaction to the word was immediate, the class stood silent in shock. One Black student walked out, followed by two more.

Kyro and Monaliese Davis, siblings, who walked out of the class together, immediately went to speak with interim performing arts Dean Janet Hund, who was reportedly outraged at the incident.

Mortensen’s class was then canceled on Wednesday and he did not return to campus for the week.

The Viking News reached out to Janet Hund for further information. Prior to answering our questions, Hund phoned three different human resources personnel and asked if she could provide us with information about Mortensen’s employment status.

Hund then stated she was advised not to comment on the situation.

In a follow up interview, Hund confirmed that Mortensen will not be returning for the semester and his classes will be taken over by a new instructor.

She could not comment on his potential return next semester.

As of Tuesday, the Viking News has not yet heard comment from Mortensen despite four separate efforts to reach out.

Academic freedom typically main-

tains a professor’s right to decide how and what should be taught in their classrooms, as long as it serves the purpose of education. The situation presented here may not fall under academic freedom as it was used verbally, according to Black Faculty Association member and political science professor Jerome Hunt.

Hunt also stated his belief that instructors need more training in order to be prepared for and properly handle such incidents within the classroom.

“Professors have to be aware of how to continue to teach certain things when society has changed,” said Hunt. “And be able to handle situations that might be reacted to differently in today’s society compared to how it might’ve been reacted to in the past,.”

In an email to the Viking News, Black political science professor Donald Douglas gave his own insights into the issue.

“It’s never okay to use racial slurs, particularly the ‘N-word.’ But there are some circumstances where its use would be appropriate in the classroom as a part of a learning exercise,” Douglas wrote.

Douglas also added that he felt the climate of today contributed to the negative reaction some have to the word in any context.

“If it weren’t for outrage culture and political correctness, the use of the word in such situations might provide a powerful opportunity for critical think-

ing and self-reflection,” wrote Douglas. One professor, when informed on the incident, raised concerns over whether this sets a precedent of censoring Black authors’ and creators’ voices in academic settings if they use racially charged language to tell their own stories.

Margaret Shannon, a white English professor at LAC, said she had considered using “Beloved,” a book authored by sole Black Nobel Prize in literature recipient Toni Morrison as part of the course curriculum for her PUENTE cohort English class.

“Hearing this rumor alone, I have decided not to teach the Nobel Prize winning author Toni Morrison,” Shannon said.

Shannon had also used the book in her regular English 3 class. She explained her deep connection with the book and how it impacted other students and the value she feels such language can hold in telling stories.

According to Shannon, she removed “Beloved” from her course curriculum right when the Trump administration took hold, fearing that the material in the book would be too contentious in such a politically divided climate. Her stance on the subject has only solidified since this recent incident.

In a follow up interview, Kyro Davis expressed their relief at Mortensen’s removal.

“I finally feel like I’m learning what I should have been learning,” they said.

cain carbajal

Jen Nellis, the professor piloting the new learning community, poses in the P Building.

Daycare extends services at LAC

by biAncA UrzUA

Long Beach City College continues to launch programs that help break down barriers for students.

LBCC announces the new program “The Viking Club House” with Boys & Girls Clubs of Long Beach to help student parents have the option to enroll their children in free after-school programming while they attend their classes.

The program is free for LBCC students and provides after-school care for children ages 6 to 18. The clubhouse is open Monday through Friday from 2 p.m. – 8 p.m.

There are two locations, one located on-site at the Liberal Arts Campus and the other location at the John C. & Alice Wallace Boys & Girls Club of Long Beach. The program was envisioned by superintendent-president Dr. Mike Munoz in order to help student parents reach their educational goals as he himself was a student parent when he attended college.

“I reflect on my own personal experience as a single student parent working to get my degree and make a better life for myself and my daughter. I know firsthand the struggle to find affordable and dependable after-school care so I could attend evening classes or study groups as a community college student,” said Munoz.

There are currently 47 children enrolled in the clubhouse. The activities provided for the children are homework help, arts and crafts, music lessons, STEM activities, outdoor play, sports and a hot meal. Staff members provide individualized attention for the children to build their skill sets and focus on working with the children one on one.

Amy Huynh, site coordinator for boys and girls club, shares that she is delighted to hear the positive feedback from parents and that the clubhouse is providing an atmosphere where their kids see their parents go to classes which also encourages them to think about going to college one day.

The program has demonstrated so much change and aid to all the student parents enrolled at LBCC. Also creating new programs for students and continuing to break down any educational barriers.

Cambodian name riles controversy

by AndreA LAwrence

Despite the controversial name change of the holiday, Cambodians attended and celebrated Sankranta in traditional attire on April 1 at LBCC’s PCC campus.

There has been much debate over whether the city of Long Beach should refer to the festivities as Cambodian New Year as opposed to Sankranta, which is an all inclusive term for Southeast Asian cultures.

A few residents in Cambodia town preferred the festival to be named “Cambodian New Year” in the hopes of preserving their culture and pride here in Long Beach after fleeing from Cambodia to escape the Cambodian genocide.

Under communist regime, the Khmer Rouge overthrew Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia in 1975, killing about a quarter of the country’s population.

“I feel not so happy about the title change,” said Phan Tiev, a Cambodian town resident. “I escaped from Cambodia to Thailand in 1979, we struggled a

lot.” On the other hand, other residents state they don’t have any concern over the title being Sankranta.

“New generations know about Cambodian New Year but in ancient times, older generations have heard both. Sankranta means new year,” said Sireysakayamuny B. Buddha, a monk here in Long Beach.

With the title change, many elders who fled Cambodia Town from the genocide begin to fear the future for the newer generations and their connection to their culture.

As names are being changed from first generations, newer generations are losing their connection and identity as they are immersed into a new world.

“I am a little iffy about the next Cambodian generations, including my younger siblings, but I do make it a point for me to learn about our history,” said Alice Yuk, a Long Beach resident and performer with the Cambodian Awareness Organization at UCI.

The Cambodian genocide continues to affect survivors and offspring of survivors here in Long Beach’s Cambodia Town.

Photo by andrea lawrence

Mary Kheng, a performer, dances at Sankranta celebration. Cambodian New Year, Sankranta was held at LBCC at the PCC campus on April 1, 2023

Photo by andrea lawrence Southeast Asian altar displayed at cultural festival Sankranta. Cambodian new year, Sankranta was hosted at the PCC campus at LBCC on April 1, 2023

Grace Jones

Staff member moved by Ghana trip

By Grace Jones

Eight faculty and staff members were chosen by Superintendent President Mike Munoz to embark on a trip to Ghana, or as attendees have described it, the motherland in Sept. 2022.

With that, one of the first changes trip attendees Angela Fowlkes noticed was how different she felt about her physical body while in Ghana.

“It was life-transforming for me, said Fowlkes. “It made me love myself more. When I was with the natives they were very simple people. They are not vain, they are not into vanity. When I went, I forgot my brush and I was looking for mirrors because I was so self-conscious about my ap-

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Sink concert series

pearance. I realized that I was able to relax and accept myself. It was more of a journey of self-acceptance for me.”

Fowlkes continued in depth about her innate feelings of insecurity and how she overcame it through mindfulness and reassurance from the Ghana native’s way of life and culture.

“When you see the picture of me in the annual report you see that I just have on jeans and a shirt because, I have never been exposed to any African traditional clothes like head wraps or anything. So I felt very self-conscious and out of place,” said Fowlkes.

“My hair was gray and I didn’t feel good about myself, but once I got there and got around the native people I realized they are

the proudest, most beautiful people. They don’t get up in the morning every day and compare themselves to Western beauty standards and society, just me being natural is enough and I have never been this happy in my entire life,” she added.

This trip was commenced by the 8 to Men program. The 8 to Men program is an African American male program that consists of different community colleges from the state of California to get the opportunity to visit Ghana.

“This was the catalyst for me to accept and love myself. When I came back, that’s what I wanted to instill in the students here,” added Fowlkes.

Fowlkes also mentioned the Cape Coast slave dungeon which she visited for edu-

cational purposes and to experience how grim and terrifying the conditions were for Ghana slaves during the 1660s.

“We went to the Cape Coast dungeon and were shown the trails and paths the slaves were led down. When I got to the dungeon I was a tourist, I went in with a tourist’s eyes. I was so excited to take pictures of everything. When I came out of the dungeon I came out through the lens of a slave. It took a toll on my body physically,” revealed Fowlkes.

“I had to be alone on the bus and it stripped me of my humanity. They took us to the next place and the next place each time it got worse and worse. They gave you the visualization and the smells from 400 years ago were still there,” she added.

Fashion club’s pop-up celebrates Earth Day

By Grace Jones

A pop up tent stood out amongst the cloudy gray weather with colorful racks of bathing suits, tote bags, scrunchies, pins and bandannas for sale accompanied by soft indie music at the Fashion Club popup on April 18.

As a tribute to Earth Day fashion club members wanted to express their creativity and support of Earth Day through accessories and bags.

The LBCC bistro located next door to the fashion club pop-up helped with foot traffic as students were able to buy pastries and drinks while they shopped.

The artistic texts and graphic designs of earth-theme images on white tote bags were a fan favorite amongst the fashion club members, as well as the event coordinator and fashion design and merchandising professor Chantel Bryant.

“ I love the tote bags, because two students designed the artwork and the fashion club voted which artwork they wanted to

go with,” fashion design professor Bryant said.

Bryant then stressed the importance of earth day and reflected that belief by mentioning the prevention of clothing going to the dump with taking clothing donations instead

“All of the fabrics we used here except for the swimwear are all donated upcycled fabric. The tote bags are recycled cotton and 100% organic. So we are just trying to educate students on earth day and sustainability,” stated Bryant.

“The swimwear is sampled from the fashion industry and if we hadn’t taken the donation then it would have ended up in the landfill. So we are preventing fabrics and garments from going into the landfill,” Bryant added.

The assortment of bathing suits was very popular amongst customers who were browsing. One LBCC student couldn’t help but gush about all the colorful patterned bathing suits but was slightly disappointed with the sizing.

“The bathing suits were very nice and colorful but since I’m on the bigger side I didn’t find my size. I would love to see more diversity in sizes,” said LBCC student Caroline Hunter.

The swimsuits ranged from extra small to extra large and were sent from a local swim manufacturer. However this made it so fashion club members had no control in the sizes available at the stand .

When asked why fashion is important to individuals, fashion club members insisted that fashion is passionate form of self-expression.

“I think fashion is important to express yourself through clothes and you can express your culture, pop culture, or just anything artistic that you want people to know about yourself,” said fashion merchandise student Krystal Gallego.

“It is important to have this pop-up to expose the fashion department. I feel like people don’t know there is a fashion department here. We are a small old building,” Gallego said.

Financial aid specialist Angela Fowlkes displays some of the relics she returned with from her time in Ghana, sponsored by LBCC.

The Kitchen Sink concert series continues with episode two with a performance from “Graphic Tease.,” a Southern California based alternative band, and follow up interview. Scan the QR code or go to the link to see the video: tinyurl.com/graphic-tease.

THE DIVERSITY OF DANCE

LBCC holds their spring 2023 dance ensemble

By Michelle cardenas

A variety of diverse dances and music was brought to the stage and showcased by the students of LBCC within 11 performances including a performance by the school’s faculty. The performance featured ballet, hip-hop, belly dance fusion, and more.

LBCC’s artistic director Stephanie Powell teamed up with JazzAntiqua and choreographers to host the 2023 Spring Dance Ensemble Concert featuring Superintendent President Mike Munoz.

The event ran from Friday, April 21 and Saturday, April 22nd inside the Ellis Auditorium at the LAC campus for a total of 2 hours with an intermission in between performances.

Students were excited to have the amount of support from staff and superin-

tendent-president Mike Munoz.

“Mike Munoz, the energy he brought to the rehearsal was amazing, everyone is so wonderful and I’m blown away by how supportive everyone is,” says Jacqueline Estrada, a current dance student at LBCC.

“People will be surprised how much art they will see on stage, it takes lots of work so expect something fun and different as well as upbeat that will make your brain think in an abstract way,” says student choreographer Michelle Rosales.

The LBCC dance program is open to all auditioning students of all ages. “There are a variety of dancers and age ranges ranging from freshman’s to seniors and returning students, we offer opportunities to all ages,” says Powell.

This will not be the last of the dancers to be seen on stage, there will be the Choreographer Showcase on June 6.

Photos by Michelle cardenas

Top: Dancers (left to right) Ina Timbo, Dominique Moore and Jacqueline Estrada perform in the dance “Phoenix Flames”. Middle: LBCC dancers accompanied by superintendent president Mike Munoz. Bottom left: Ronald Evans (dancer) spins through his performance of “Phoenix Flames” featuring belly dances. Bottom right: Dancers Omar Meza (left) and Jourdan Freeman (right) perform in dance “Dulcenia”.

Men’s Volleyball

The Vikings Men’s Volleyball team’s historic season has come to an end after a 3-2 loss to Orange Coast College in the CCCAA State Championship Match.

The Vikings ended the season with an overall record of 19-2 and a dominant undefeated conference record of 12-0.

Softball

The Vikings’ 25-13-1 overall record and 17-7 conference record was good enough to finish third in the South Coast Conference. They were phenomenal on both sides of the ball with a .311 team average and a 2.53 team ERA.

Their hopeful playoff run kicks off on May 5 with a Regional battle against Bakersfield College at Bakersfield.

Baseball

The Vikings’ pursuit of the playoffs came down to the wire with them earning a playoff spot in the final series of the season with a sweep of Cerritos.

They finished with a .500 overall record of 20-20 and a 16-8 conference record and take on 29-10 Saddleback in Round 1 of the Regionals on May 5.

Men’s and Women’s Track & Field

Both the Men’s and Women’s teams compete in the South Coast Regional Prelims at San Diego Mesa College on May 5.

Women’s Beach Volleyball

The Vikings compete in the pairs South Coast Conference Regionals against an opponent that is TBA on May 5 at El Camino.

They had a successful year overall with a record of 14-6, but struggled in conference posting a 3-5 record. They won 10 of their first 11 games, but have slowed down since.

Back to Baseball: AJ Quezada

By Veronica Towers

Returning to college baseball after a seven-year hiatus can be impractical, and returning as a veteran and single father of two can be nearly impossible. Fortunately, that is not the case for Vikings’ outfielder AJ Quezada.

Since his childhood days at Dodger Stadium with his father, the love for baseball became instilled in his life.

When high school baseball came to a close, Quezada set out to continue playing the sport he describes as his first love in college.

Athletic scholarships from years and dedication to baseball granted him the opportunity to attend the University of Antelope Valley.

It was only a month into pursuing higher education that his goals and aspirations had to come to a conclusion.

He came to discover that he was going to be a father with his previous partner.

“I kind of moved back home, tried to figure out things at home…things just didn’t work out so that’s when I ended up going to the Navy,” Quezada revealed.

Enlisting in the United States Navy for four years allowed for stability and security in his life, which was necessary for his new reality.

Quezada was transparent about the dif-

ficulties that came with leaving behind his loved ones, including his son.

However, the military allowed him to expand his scope of the world, taking him to places like Chile, Argentina, Brazil and multiple places around the U.S. where he worked as a culinary specialist.

Quezada worked daily, putting in 16hour shifts until the end of his enlistment contract.

It was during these four years that he came to father another child, a baby girl. Quezada does not fail to mention how significant this was for him, saying “My daughter came out of my time in the military, so I’m for sure grateful for that.”

Quezada returned to civilian life as a single father of two who needed to continue to provide for himself and his family.

With the support of veteran services and surrounding loved ones, the possibility to further his education and return to the sport he loved became a possibility.

He doubted the decision to become a student again, thinking it may be selfish to do so. “I was just talking myself down a lot,” Quezada said. The mothers of his children were amongst his top supporters, encouraging him to attend school.

They validated that returning to college was the correct choice, telling him that his children know he is doing this for himself and their future.

Utilizing the Veteran Rapid Retraining

Assistance Program, VRRAP, Quezada was able to get housing and tuition assistance to enroll in LBCC.

The program caters to veterans who seek education and training programs for in-demand jobs.

“I came back (to college) for the sport and then, of course, the benefits of school,” Quezada said.

Working towards an Associates degree in kinesiology and being a part of the LBCC baseball team are only a few of Quezada’s current goals and responsibilities. Before being able to return, he didn’t think he’d ever play baseball again. “I never thought I’d be playing again and that’s the honest truth,” he stated.

It was a long seven years before he became a part of a school team again. Being older than he was before, Quezada feels as if he needs to catch up with everybody else but is certain that he is capable of doing so. His determination is apparent.

With the playoffs coming up and the Vikings poised to make a deep run, there is no doubt the end of the season will do anything to prevent Quezada from playing.

Today, Quezada maintains a stable relationship with his family, friends and teammates and has returned to his first love, baseball.

He hopes to pass down his love for the sport to his own children as his father did for him.

LesLy GonzaLes

Vikings’ freshman outfielder AJ Quezada defied all odds to wear the Vikings uniform. Quezada hit .349 in 43 at bats this regular season.

Volleyball falls just short of title

By Emily D’Amico

The Vikings fell to Orange Coast College in the CCCAA men’s volleyball championship three sets to two on May 29.

The Vikings were narrowly defeated by the Pirates with the game going to the full five sets. LBCC never lost a set by more than five points.

The turning point in the match came in the fifth set. “Our team captain Sean Nguyen had to get pulled out because of a calf cramp, we had no timeouts left, so we were just kind of scrambling and rolling with the punches,” said head coach Jonathan Charette.

The Vikings lost the final set 15-12. This brought their record to 19-2 on the season. LBCC had an impressive 18 game win streak with 16 of those games resulting in a 3-0 sweep. The Vikings also defeated Orange Coast College twice before they met in the championship.

LBCC was ranked No. 1 for most of the season. They suffered a loss to Irvine Valley College in the second game of the season. From that point on they were nearly perfect until the championship.

Since that game, the Vikings lost four sets the rest of the season with two of those sets coming in the championship.

Because of their success, every team in the state wanted the chance to defeat the Vikings.

“I think it’s kind of cool. It’s something I think we need in order to push us,” said Pennala.

The Vikings secured several conference awards this year with Sean Nguyen receiving Player of the Year and Jonathan Charette received Coach of the Year. Matthew Pennala and Georgi Binev made First Team All-Conference while Cian Slade and Cole Oliver made Second Team All-Conference.

“Now our shift will be that this moment does not define us, we still have a lot of work to do in the classroom now so we’re going to shift to be champions there,” Charette said.

The Vikings will be losing a few key players such as Sean Nguyen and Julian Zavala due to them being sophomores, but the coaches are dedicated to helping guide those players in their journeys to the next level.

Many of the Vikings starters are freshman such as Pennala, Binev, Slade and Oliver, and have the option to return next year.

Despite the loss, the Vikings will still be ranked very high next year. Coaches and players have high hopes to make it back to the championship.

From Varna, Bulgaria to Long Beach, CA

By DAvis RAmAgE

Volleyball player Georgi Binev made a decision that most athletes would not have turned down. Instead of taking a professional contract to play volleyball, the freshman took a 6,700 mile flight from Varna, Bulgaria to further his education while playing the sport he loves at LBCC.

“It was difficult for me to play in Bulgaria and study at the same time, but education is important for me, and I couldn’t leave volleyball,” Binev said.

Binev made the decision to come to the States and pursue an education while still being able to play volleyball at a high level.

He missed the deadline to apply to many four-year universities so he chose to stay close to his new home and attend LBCC.

“It is always hard moving so far away from home, but I’d like to say that I’m very lucky to have people here who fully support and guide me. Thanks to them, I’ve been adapting way faster than I thought,” Binev said.

Vikings head coach Jonathan Cha-

rette said that he knows Georgi’s godfather through the volleyball world and a coaching change at the university Georgi was supposed to attend opened up the opportunity for him to play for Long Beach

“Georgi kind of just fell in our lap to be honest. It was a nice surprise, he’s been a great kid and such a good contributor to our program,” Charette said.

Binev, a freshman, is in his first year

playing volleyball in the U.S., but has already noticed differences in the volleyball culture.

“The preparation is different, the style and the experience as well, which I think is the most important one,” Binev said. Even though there are differences, Binev is still flourishing as he leads the Western State Conference in hitting percentage and is top 10 in the conference in kills, kills per set, service aces, total blocks, solo blocks and points.

To go along with his statistical prowess, Binev is in the Vikings’ passing line and carries a very big passing load, which is rare for an opposite hitter.

Charette expressed his praise for Binev by saying, “he’s just contributing everywhere at the net. He may score from the service line with a serve, he might help us by passing the ball and if we set him, he’s scoring.”

Binev, a kinesiology major, has not decided if he wants to play professionally yet. For the time being, he plays a major role for the No 1. ranked volleyball team in the state.

Lauren benson

Freshman hitter Georgi Binev relocated from Bulgaria to Long Beach to continue his academic and athletic career. When he is not playing he is studying Kinesiology at LBCC.

sam Huff

Sophomore blocker Jonathan Worden and freshman blocker Maxwell Suesue shed tears following their loss. LBCC was defeated 3-2 in the CCCAA championship on April 29.

Two students differ on

DEBATE: How professors should handle racial slurs in an academic setting

On April 24, a student in Greg Mortensen’s theater arts class refused to participate in an acting exercise that contained a racial slur. In an attempt to educate the class on the use of racial slurs in acting, Mortensen recounted a personal story and used the N-word in his tale. This prompted three students to walk out of the class in outrage. The professor was placed on leave within the week of the event.

This opened up a discourse on the use of racial slurs in an academic setting. Should this professor face consequences for these actions? Was it justified?

Two writers from the Viking News have weighed in with their opinions on the matter.

The professor should not have said the racial slur and should face consequences

By Jordyn Weick

Mortensen’s action prompted a valid response from students and led to a conversation surrounding the bounds for racial and offensive language in academia.

Considering the context of the event, Mortensen should not have used the N-word.

It appears Mortensen was trying to make a point that saying a racial slur is OK in acting and the

exercise given was simply training the students for a career in acting.

In using the N-word in a direct quote while recollecting and sharing a personal story, Mortensen took the lesson too far.

Although the professor was trying to educate the students on the use of racial slurs in the art, it was absolutely unnecessary for him to use the term in this scenario.

Another example could have been used to get his point across to the students. Mortensen could have led the exercise the students were hesitant to participate in. In this case, he would have been justified to use a word that is directly in the script.

It is vital that Mortensen faces consequences for these actions. Even with academic freedom, this was an inappropriate use of a racial slur.

If this professor is reinstated, students and colleagues alike will now respond differently to his teaching style.

Whether the administration’s consequences for this event are termination, suspension, or any other form of leave for Mortensen, it is justified.

Even if those consequences aren’t given, moving forward, morally, it is very likely that this professor will be “branded” as the professor who said the N-word.

Again, it is understandable to use racial slurs in acting, that is a given in this field, but to feel the need to say it simply to prove that he could say it, is wrong.

The professor was doing his job and should not face any consequences

By Tyler Bermundo

Mortensen used a personal anecdote as an example and used the N-word without hesitation in his story. He wanted to show students that slurs in theater and acting exist. To succeed in the industry, controversial speech has to be authentic.

If he were to give a story about saying slurs and avoid saying the slur, he would be contradicting his own opinion.

Mortensen never said the slur at a Black student or anyone else in the class. If he said a slur that was intentionally at a student or a group of students then the line would have been crossed.

There should be sympathy for Mortensen. His reputation, his credibility and his job are being put on the line for teaching students the reality of the industry. He was not being racist.

Because Mortensen was teaching students the parts of the industry that aren’t advertised, he will

Editor-in-chief: Veronica Towers

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News editors: Michelle Cardenas

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Bianca Urzua

Lifestyle editors: Casper Torres

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Sports editors: Tyler Bermundo

Lesly Gonzalez

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never be seen the same.

The argument is not to use slurs in day-to-day conversations. In general, people acknowledge the N-word as extremely racist and should not be said today without reason.In this case, his statement including a slur was educational and proved a point.

Those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it. Through performing arts, people learn the mistakes of the past and to drive those points home, performances have to be authentic.

In the theater and arts industry, slurs are necessary in controversial performances. Omitting or substituting slurs conveys a similar point, but it loses its realism.

100 years ago, slurs were considered normal, including the N-word. We cannot judge history based on the standards of today. That is why slurs are kept in literature and scripts.

The minute a professor is using slurs directed at students with no educational value, then that professor should never teach again. Mortensen used a slur to help students understand. He needs to be reinstated.

Opinion editors: Lauren Benson

Grace Jones

Staff

Emily D’Amico

Audrey Herold

Sam Huff

Cindy Jester

Andrea Lawrence

Desary Valencourt

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Photo and online adviser: Chris Viola

Lauren Benson

how Mortensen’s use of slurs in class should have been handled. In limited academic settings, racially charged objects like these showcased in a historical exhibit about Black history and experiences in America, showcase in instance where such language is necessary.