# College Recruiter Asked High School Kids To Line Up By Skin Color And Hair Texture



## rabs77 (Mar 3, 2020)

https://www.cnn.com/2020/03/02/us/oklahoma-college-recruiter-line-up-trnd/index.html

On my phone so hard to paste all text. What in the world?


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## Godsdaughter001 (Mar 3, 2020)

(CNN)*Students at an Oklahoma City high school say a college recruiter told them to line up by skin color and then by whether their hair was "nappy" or straight.*

*The recruiter was speaking to the entire 11th grade class at Harding Charter Preparatory High School on February 24, according to a statement on the high school's Facebook page*.
The recruiter from Oklahoma Christian University has not been identified, but the university said it did not approve the inappropriate activity before the event.
*"He led a racist activity that was offensive, harmful and inappropriate. I'm embarrassed and I'm ashamed and I'm mad at what happened and I'm very, very sorry," Oklahoma Christian University President John deSteiguer said at a meeting Sunday. "Within an hour after the school visit, the admissions counselor was no longer employed at the university."*

A spokeswoman for the university would not say whether the recruiter was fired or resigned.
"The OC admissions counselor who visited Harding Charter Preparatory Academy on Monday is no longer an Oklahoma Christian University employee," the university said in a statement. "OC admissions leadership did not approve the inappropriate activity in advance and has communicated closely with Harding administration since the visit."
Students said the assembly upset them.
*"He was like, 'Let's play a little game,'" one student told CNN affiliate KFOR. "He said, 'OK, everyone now line up from darkest to lightest skin complexion.'"*
CNN does not publish the names of minors without express written consent.
The student said the recruiter was white and didn't really talk about the university before having the students move around.
"It seemed like he wasn't really knowledgeable about how to speak with people, even in a diverse school," the student said.
*Then the recruiter told them to line up by hair texture, the students said.
"He told us to line up, nappiest hair in the back and straighter hair in the front," another student told KFOR.
"That's when I felt uncomfortable. I was like, 'OK, I don't think this is right,'" the first student said.
The other student told KFOR some teachers left the assembly in tears.
"They were crying and they were offended. Their faces just looked disgusted. I know they had a talk with him after, like, 'That's not OK,'" the student told the station.*
In the high school's statement, principal Steven Stefanick said staff members immediately reported what was happening to school administrators, who contacted the university.
"As a school community, we are proud of our students and staff members for taking a stand on this issue and showcasing our community values of diversity, inclusion, and a safe and supportive learning environment," the statement said.
Stefanick said the school has had a strong relationship with the university for years and has never had a problem like this.

Oklahoma Christian University will start conducting mandatory sensitivity training for all employees and take other steps to make sure this doesn't happen again, deSteiguer said.
He visited the high school Monday to apologize to students, staff and administrators.
"As a Christian institution, and as a community made up of individual Christians, we must adhere to the highest of standards. And I pledge that we will," he said at the meeting Sunday. "God instructs us to love one another and that everyone, and I mean everyone, is valued.
"We fell short here. We will learn and we will redouble our efforts to do better."
Oklahoma Christian University is a private school in Oklahoma City with strong ties to the Churches of Christ. More than 2,000 students from 44 states and 43 countries attend the school, according to its website.
About 430 students attended Harding Charter Preparatory during the 2018-19 school year and more than 68% were minorities, according to Oklahoma City Public Schools.
US News & World


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## Godsdaughter001 (Mar 3, 2020)

Between this incident and the Honey Pot comments (in another thread) in addition to  other blatant disregard for black people; I feel that in this country (U.S.) racism against AA people is rapidly becoming not only rampant but audacious. This white male felt entirely comfortable carrying out this exercise in front of the school staff in addition to the students. It is absolutely sickening to me. I wish they would release his name.


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## discodumpling (Mar 3, 2020)

Not my pickney!! My kids know not to play those games. Say no and let Mommy & Daddy handle the fall out.


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## rabs77 (Mar 5, 2020)

https://kfor.com/news/local/it-is-a...ining-students-up-by-skin-color-hair-texture/

Recruiter telling his side of the story.


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## Peppermynt (Mar 5, 2020)

So he's trying to claim he was doing something like the "Blue Eyes, Brown Eyes" experiment? I don't know ... I'm still side eyeing him since I have no idea where he was going with this "exercise."



> Having done 87 of these exact presentations this year prior to this one, my only regret in reflection is not providing myself enough time to fully explain the purpose as I have been able to at other presentations, as some of the students and staff from what I understand felt like it was not explained thoroughly.  Despite this, we must continue these discussions.  As educators, we are bound to doing this ethically and morally.  Like dangers in education, we must also acknowledge the most dangerous elements in the media are those that require a 30 second sound bite and no context.  Unlike educational engagements, which take time and patience, the majority of media doesn’t allow for taking the time and corresponding effort to get to the heart of a situation prior to creating an atmosphere of vilification whether intentional or not.


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## CarefreeinChicago (Mar 5, 2020)

I feel like we are living in the twilight zone


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## Ms. Tarabotti (Mar 5, 2020)

How does this 'exercise'  break down walls? He doesn't have a degree in psychology so would he be able to handle the situation if it turned into something ugly? Just because he is married to a' Woman of Color' (his words -American Indian) doesn't make him the poster child for racial healing. I'm betting that he never considered how uncomfortable some of the children that were involved in these workshops (he did 87 of them this year) felt.


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## Tibbar (Mar 7, 2020)

Ms. Tarabotti said:


> How does this 'exercise'  break down walls? He doesn't have a degree in psychology so would he be able to handle the situation if it turned into something ugly? Just because he is married to a' Woman of Color' (his words -American Indian) doesn't make him the poster child for racial healing. I'm betting that he never considered how uncomfortable some of the children that were involved in these workshops (he did 87 of them this year) felt.


I read his super long explanation of the intent behind his actions and his claims of marital and personal ties to,  and influences from, people of color and he is still WRONG despite his vociferous protestations to the contrary.  His whole defense reeks of self righteousness.   His belief that his experiences best position him to tell people how they should feel about "race".  His belief that it is ok to use CHILDREN as props to make a point.  His statement that he will continue to do this exercise (in his new job!!), despite the fallout and knowing that the students involved expressed their emotional pain about it, this tells you everything you need to know about him.

I don't understand how he got away with doing this 87 prior times.   Well actually I do, given the racial makeup of most school systems...


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## Brwnbeauti (Mar 7, 2020)

rabs77 said:


> https://kfor.com/news/local/it-is-a...ining-students-up-by-skin-color-hair-texture/
> 
> Recruiter telling his side of the story.


Still didn’t explain the point and benefit of the “ice breaker”


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## Theresamonet (Mar 7, 2020)

I’ve been involved in experiments like this lead by black teachers, always to drive home the point of a lesson on slavery, colorism, etc. I remember my class being lined up, and then divided up based on whether we were lighter or darker than a paper bag being held up to our faces, and other such things. I don’t think it was harmful. It was a learning experience imo. 

But I don’t think these white instructors have the right to conduct such “experiments”. It seems very self gratifying when they do it. And in this case, what does any of this have to do with college recruiting? And how does lining up behind someone cause I’m darker, and my hair nappier, break the ice?


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## Everything Zen (Mar 7, 2020)

^^^ Right and the one white instructor who is known for doing these experiments had enough sense to focus on eye color instead of skin and hair texture. It’s not hard people.


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