"Hell yes!"
On October 10, Sheng Zongliang, a well-known Chinese musician who teaches at the University of Michigan, was stopped from teaching by the university for playing an old movie in which white actors played the role of African Americans with black faces.
On Sept. 10, Mr. Sheng showed students a film version of Shakespeare's 1965 Othello, the Michigan Daily, to show them how opera composer Giuseppe Verdi adapted Shakespeare's plays into operas, according to the Michigan Daily. However, this move has sparked controversy.
Student Olivia. Olivia Cook complained to the school and said in an interview with the media: "At a school like this that promotes diversity and makes sure they understand the history of people of color in the United States, I am shocked that Sheng is showing such a thing in a place that should be safe." ”
Laurence Olivier, the actor who plays the main character of the African-American Moorish king, paints his face black. In today's American society, painting a black face is seen as discriminatory and offensive to African Americans.
As a result, more than 40 undergraduate, graduate and faculty members sent a joint letter to David Gier, dean of the School of Music, Drama and Dance, accusing Sheng Zongliang of failing to create a safe environment and urging the university to stop his undergraduate courses this semester.
Gill said last week that Professor Sheng's actions were "inconsistent with the school's commitment to anti-racism, diversity, fairness and inclusion."
Professor Sheng has been suspended, but he is still employed by the university.
His course will be replaced by a new professor" to allow for a positive learning environment. He also said that Professor Sheng had reported to the Equality, Civil Rights and Rule 9 Office.
According to reports, after the class on September 10, Sheng Zongliang immediately apologized to the students, and wrote a more formal apology letter to the department on September 16.
However, his students did not buy into it with Olivia. "He could have taken responsibility for his actions and realised it was detrimental to some of the students in the class," Cook said. Instead, he tried to make excuses. Instead of apologizing, he tried to downplay the fact that the whole incident had occurred. ”
Mr. Sheng, 65, has twice won the Pulitzer Prize and the MacArthur Award.
His work has also appeared at major events around the world, including the opening ceremony of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.
In an interview with The Washington Post, Kim Broekhuizen, a spokeswoman for the university, said: "Lessons from the history of music are still important today, including how black music as part of American pop music supports the product and way of racist stereotypes."
"However, fee-based courses such as these must include appropriate context and should always be presented with caution and sensitivity."
"Regardless of the professor's intentions, screening the film now, especially without a substantive framework, content suggestions, and a focus on its inherent racism, is itself an act of racism," Professor Evan Chambers wrote in an email to the university newspaper. "As a group, we need to acknowledge that."
However, the incident also drew strong opposition from many, who said, "Othello is widely regarded as one of the greatest musicals, with the most Oscar nominations." ”
A colleague said: "Sheng Zongliang has not done anything wrong, and his students should no longer look like a wayward child." ”
He added, "The University of Michigan should also be ashamed of its gibberish and not side with its faculty."
Jj Nordlinger, editor of the National Review, said: "I hope that Sheng Zongliang, a famous composer who has the honor of having a reputation at the University of Michigan, can say something to this university."
I don't know what everyone thinks about this matter?
Source: Canada Presse
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