The 2016 presidential campaign season and the subsequent election results have enabled forms of speech and actions that are positioned directly against our core values of respect, compassion, and social justice for all people. By this measure, we emphasize that freedom of speech does not extend to speech that seeks or condones harm upon others. Thus, we must reaffirm that the Department of Ethnic Studies does not tolerate hate speech, bigotry, or violence of any kind (including micro-aggressions, vandalism, and assault) in the classroom, in our office spaces, and among the campus community. Further, we will support efforts to make CU Boulder and the outlying communities “sanctuary zones,” where cities, counties, and schools seek to offer refuge for those facing deportation or detainment. We pledge to assist in providing services and resources necessary for vulnerable students to continue their education despite potential threats of arrest, imprisonment, or deportation. In doing so, we add our collective voice to the individuals and institutions across the country who have proactively adopted similarly supportive measures. We remain committed to creating socially just and equitable spaces in our classes, communities, and the world at large.
In Solidarity,
The Faculty of the Department of Ethnic Studies