The Scarlet recently published an article entitled “BSUxCUSC is Wrong about University Police”, in which the article called out FIRM, LASO, CAIC, BSU, and the See You Collective because of their support of BSU’s message and demands to remove all police from campus.

This piece disregarded the consistent sentiment on campus that UP makes many students feel unsafe – especially students of color. The author failed to acknowledge that the very presence of University Police on this campus threatens the emotional and mental well being of students of color every day. All police as an institution are built upon white supremacy and the manner in which they are trained and behave perpetuate racist systems and racial violence. Whether or not Clark Police have recently incited violence on campus is a moot point; we should not be waiting around for physical violence to ensue in order to justify police abolishment. The article was extremely harmful to BIPOC students on campus, as well as Student Organizing Groups in that it entirely disregarded the work that the BSU, LASO, FIRM, the See You Collective, and CUSC have worked  – and continue to work – so hard for. They are our community’s strongest advocates for the safety and representation of BIPOC students, and work every day to make Clark a safer and more equitable environment.

Despite it being an Opinions piece, we, as The Scarlet’s Executive Board, should have been more thoughtful and critical about the overarching impact this piece would have on the campus community and the harm it would cause to our peers. We gave this article a platform, and for that we take full responsibility for the harm this article has caused and the emotional burden the students of color on this campus have had to unjustly bear. 

We are the ones at fault for publishing this harmful piece, and at the end of the day, we are the ones who have made the biggest mistake. We at The Scarlet want to express that this article does not reflect the views and opinions of our staff and editors. The Scarlet is committed to the safety and well-being of all Clark students, and we are determined to uphold the values of our student body and greater Worcester community.

We understand that actions speak louder than words, and that apologies can often seem like empty promises. Going forward, we vow to work towards making The Scarlet a space which recognizes and celebrates the significant efforts made everyday by those in our community. 

The Scarlet