<p>My friend told me that his Asian friend at Boston College experienced racism there and was bullied by the guys in his dorm. By “bullying” he meant ostracism and denigrating remarks about his race. I always knew BC was predominately white, but I never really thought racism would be a problem there as it is located in such a liberal and diverse city. Honestly, how prevalent is racism at BC? What about other types of discrimination? (I’ve heard people look down on you if you aren’t super fit, well-dressed, and attractive). </p>
<p>I’m quite bowled over with this story, and you should know that since you have only posted twice, people may think you are a ■■■■■ and not sincere in the telling of your story. I feel the comment is so unfounded, I think it’s important to share my son’s experience last year at BC. DS transferred from BC following his freshman year because he is a film guy and BC only had a film studies major–no school of film. I’m giving you that as the backdrop so you understand why he left–and it was absolutely and positively NOT because he ever saw or heard or experienced any sort of bullying, hazing, discrimination, or any other sort of untoward behavior–nor did he witness anything of the sort. DS looks like an ad for Irish tourism, so on one level, as a tall, blue-eyed Catholic male, he may fit what your stereotype is of BC. His BEST, BEST friends, however, were three very cool young men who were Jewish and one amazing young Asian man who was an international student from the Philippines. Even though DS is now on the West Coast, he still keeps in touch with his four BFF, has been back to BC to see them, and they to CA to see him. As a Jesuit institution, the sort of behavior you describe would be completely out of the norm and is not even close to the experience my son had at BC. They don’t have a film school, unfortunately, or DS would still be there, but they also certainly DO NOT have a bunch of entitled, crazy-acting racists marauding through its lovely campus. </p>
<p>FIrst of all, these sort of incidents can happen anywhere. Even at the most unlikely places. You only need a few bad ‘uns and you can have an ugly incident. There are places where the atmosphere is such that it happens more. I do not believe BC is such a place. Yes, there may well be racists there, nasty bullies there, those who stupidly use racial epithets, but the atmosphere is not conducive to that at all. So would I believe such a thing happened there? Yes. that’ s a regular thing. No. And furthermore, my personal opinion is that it’s truly a rare thing to happen there. I know MANY who went to BC, and not a one would support that this is anything but aberrant behavior hardly ever seen at BC. </p>
<p>My son went to a private high school that had very few bullying issues and no racism issues that I was aware of and my antennas are always up around my kids’s schools. But, there was one young man who was not so nice who said whatever came to his mind, and yes, he was a nasty piece of work. He did bully an Asian student making some remarks involving ethnicity That the bully was not caucasian, and a minority too, did not excuse him from such behavior, but the school did not put up with this sort of thing and took it seriously. You can’t do much about a loose cannon that goes off, but it was not tolerated by the other students either. But, yes, there are people like that who can get into places that do not have that sor of incidences and make the singular exeption. It does not make the whole place and everyone there of that ilk. </p>
<p>I agree with the previous replies. Racism at BC is no different than it is at other colleges.<br>
Consider it a non problem.</p>
<p>Our (now adult) foster son was a refugee from Sudan, and he went to BC for both undergrad. and a Master’s degree. While he stood out ethnically speaking, the school treated him extremely well, and he had lots of friends while there. There were probably some incidents that were less than ideal, as there would have been anywhere, and as there occasionally were in his public HS, but none serious enough for him to mention let alone warrant concern.</p>
<p>Based on purely statistical analysis based on the diversity index of BC, and its conservative slant, that could make such events more probable, unless the university is proactive in dealing with it. I know absolutely nothing about the actual atmosphere at BC.</p>
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<p>Oh, please, do share. I’ve been on cc a long time, and have never heard of a diversity index.</p>
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<p>I assume that you mean in contrast to other schools? Otherwise, I love to see some data on that point too. Think about it: the vast majority of BC students hail from some of the most liberal states in the US. It would be darn near impossible to recruit a lot of “conservative” students from those zip codes!</p>
<p>Diversity índex. Look it up on usnews and world report data.
<a href=“http://premium.usnews.com/best-colleges/rankings/national-universities/campus-ethnic-diversity/spp%2B50/page+3”>http://premium.usnews.com/best-colleges/rankings/national-universities/campus-ethnic-diversity/spp%2B50/page+3</a></p>
<p>Bc is possibly least diverse in top 40.
Bc is most conservative in boston área </p>
<p>I have to agree with bluebayou’s questioning this. This is another reason why college ranking sites get so much bad press. It’s too easy for someone to take a single data point and draw inaccurate conclusions from it.</p>
<p>If you mean diversity in persons of color:</p>
<p>% non-white</p>
<p>Tufts (#23) = 43% (generally considered a “liberal” college)
BC = 42%
Wake Forest (#28) = 24%
Notre Dame (#18) = 28%
Vanderbilt (#17) = 38%
Rochester (#32) = 46%
William & Mary (#32) = 41%
Case Wester (#36) = 46%
Penn State (#37) = 27%</p>
<p>Williams College = 42%
Bowdoin = 36%
Midd = 37%
Carleton = 33% (another college with a liberal rep)
Haverford = 33%</p>
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<p>Not hardly.</p>
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<p>Are you sure? Do you have a data source/political survey? (According to wiki, there are ~58 colleges in greater Boston.)</p>
<p>Well, it is a Catholic school, and I do believe that Catholics do have more conservatives even in blue states . But then again, it’s Jesuit, which is a whole other thing. </p>
<p>Tuft’s profile in terms of diversity isn’t that different. Actually BC is about 11-12% Hispanic as compared to the 6-7% at Tufts. About the same % of Asians and AA at both schools. </p>
<p>There you go:
<a href=“http://www.cnn.com/2014/04/23/justice/massachusetts-homeless-man-beating/index.html”>Two college football players arraigned in beating of homeless man - CNN;
<p>So liberals cannot be racist, and without knowing any details of the perpetrators, it must the conservatives who are responsible? Hum…not much critical thinking going on in this department.</p>
<p>Rgosula:
If you’re rejecting any school for your daughter where its graduates have ever been arrested for an atrocious crime, can you list any schools which are not on that list?</p>
<p>@rgosula seems like a terrible crime, however I don’t see a mention of his race in the article. Perhaps do some critical thinking next time</p>
<p>Saying BC is the most conservative school in Boston is like saying someone is the shortest player on the Boston Celtics - it’s all relative. The shortest Celtic player is still likely taller than the average male…</p>
<p>BC may be ranked as conservative due to it’s Catholic origins, but if you ask conservative Catholics they’d say BC (and any Jesuit school in general) barely rates being called Catholic (which is why I encouraged D to attend a Jesuit school!) Jesuits are known for tolerance and acceptance.</p>
<p>Having lived in both a blue state and a red state, I can say racism exists in both, but in very different forms. The real question is, is racism part of the BC institution and culture? There are racist individuals everywhere. But does the school condone this behavior? Was this racist incident reported, and if so, how did the school respond? I would be VERY surprised if BC administration, being made aware of racist incidents, did not take strong action. And if it wasn’t reported, then the school can’t act when it isn’t aware of what is happening at the individual level.</p>
<p>Let me de escalate this right now. My original post in this thread was pretty benign, but I felt too much push back from my post, and starred escalating my responses in proportion to the other responses for no good reason. I do not specifically believe there is anything wrong at BC. All I pointed out originally were some statistics, which mildly affected my daughters choice not to attend BC. The main reason was that it was the least generous FA package of all schools that accepted her.</p>
<p>Just thinking…With students these days on a quest for the perfect “fit”, it seems to me that many schools are becoming more diverse in some ways but very homogeneous in others. </p>
<p>For what it’s worth… aside from facts and figures… one small personal anecdote-my daughter is finishing up her freshman year at BC and I asked her about this point last weekend when she was home. She said she has never seen or heard of any racial tension/incidents on campus at any time during this first year. She has made great friends of all races, from many states and countries, and different sexual persuasions-some of whom she is dorming with next year. In her words, no disrespect intended, “the most loved person in my dorm is a gay asian- the guys and girls alike simply adore this person, and on a whole, people are accepted for who they are.” </p>
<p>Also, she didn’t find the student body overly conservative much to her surprise. In fact, quite the opposite! On move in day, when she found out there was a nun living on the guys floor above her she winced… but she fell in love with her as did the guys on the floor and believe me I know there was NO damper on social life due to those living arrangements! </p>
<p>@rgosula:</p>
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<p>What a great reply, and it was very effective.<br>
I too have found myself making benign entries, only to defend them where they then get dragged down to meaningless replies - where each party is trying to prove seemingly meaningless points.</p>
<p>I really enjoyed the way you captured what was happening with your replies and effectively nipped it.</p>