Liberal Media Shrug at Progressive Yale Dean Who Scorned ‘White Trash’

May 17th, 2017 4:18 PM

When a seemingly inclusive Yale educator revealed her true colors online, the Washington Post ran the story. But most left-leaning media outlets were notably silent. After all, liberals who condemn “white trash” are pretty embarrassing to the progressive movement. 

Dr. June Chu, the dean of Yale’s residential Pierson College, was known for her cultural sensitivity. In her online bio, the educator mentioned her goal “to support [students’] holistic academic experience and multifaceted identities.” With a background in education and social psychology, she seemed well-equipped to do just that. But then, some students dug around and found that the dean didn’t quite practice what she preached.

An examination of Chu’s past Yelp ratings revealed a clear elitist attitude toward the employees and patrons of several New Haven establishments.

For example, in her review of a Japanese restaurant, Chu began: “To put it quite simply, if you are white trash, this is the perfect night out for you.”

She continued by calling the food “over salted and greasy” and “perfect for those low class folks who believe this is a real night out.”

When the news broke, students were reportedly shocked, and Chu was asked to apologize.  

“My remarks were wrong,” the dean admitted in an email to the Yale community.

"There are no two ways about it," she added. "Not only were they insensitive in matters related to class and race; they demean the values to which I hold myself and which I offer as a member of this community."

The liberal media love to promote cultural sensitivity and attack those whom they deem to be offensive. But somehow, Chu escaped with a light rebuke. She will not be asked to resign, Yale College Dean Jonathan Holloway told Yale Daily News.

The story is best understood when juxtaposed with a 2015 incident involving the head of Yale’s Silliman College, Nicholas Christakis, and his wife, the associate head. When Erika Christakis penned a letter to students expressing concerns about the university’s increasingly strict rules about Halloween costumes, protests abounded. Students yelled and became violent when Nicholas attempted to engage them in thoughtful discussion. Eventually, the Christakises resigned.

Where is the outcry over Chu’s hypocrisy?

While the Washington Post’s Samantha Schmidt did author an extensive piece about the incident, PC monitors such as Huffington Post, Bustle, Cosmo and Teen Vogue were silent. Yet these media outlets regularly report on topics of cultural sensitivity, appropriation and race.