The Daily Princetonian, a student newspaper of Princeton University, published a racist article in their annual joke issue on January 17, 2007. The article, filled with racial stereotypes, uses broken English and referenced the university's denial of admission to Jian Li, an Asian who filed a civil rights complaint against Princeton last summer.
To denounce this derogatory behavior, the President of 80-20 PAC, Kathleen To, has written formal letters to the President of Princeton University, Dr. Shirley Tilghman, and the Editor-in-Chief of the Daily Princetonian. Please see below for the full letter.
Dear Dr. Tilghman,
Racial jokes are intolerable in our country. All of us should mutually respect each other, especially in institutes of higher education. When your student newspaper, the Daily Princetonian, used racial jokes, it negatively affected the entire Princeton University student body as well as the image of the administration of Princeton.
Racial remarks and jokes divide citizens of a community, therefore this type of insensitive and derogatory behavior should be condemned and the offenders should be reprimanded. We trust the integrity and wisdom of your office will surely understand the gravity of this offense and take appropriate action in order to restore the confidence of your student body as well as the community at large.
80-20 Initiative, our nation’s most effective cyber civil rights organization with over 700,000 supporters, hereby urges you to take immediate action to properly apologize to the Asian American community of our country and to properly reprimand the offenders. Your decision to take appropriate action will most certainly send out a strong signal to your student body and to our nation that Princeton University does not tolerate any insensitive language or behavior and that Princeton University operates with utmost integrity.
The Asian Americans of our country have always considered Princeton University one of the most elite institutes of higher education and we certainly wish to be able to continue to consider so.
Your sincere consideration of our recommendation will be greatly appreciated.
Respectfully,
Kathleen To
President
80-20 Initiative
cc: 80-20 board of directors and supporters
Links:
1. To see the Daily Princetonian’s article, please visit:
http://www.dailyprincetonian.com/archives/2007/01/17/opinion/17109.shtml
2. To see Jian Li’s case, please visit:http://abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex?id=2625731 http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2006/11/14/princeton "Is Admissions Bar Higher for Asians At Elite Schools?"School Standards Are Probed Even as Enrollment Increases; A Bias Claim at PrincetonBy Daniel Golden; The Wall Street Journal, November 11, 2006; Page A1
