Student barred from college class for rejecting ‘the reality of white male privilege’: Report

A student at Indiana University of Pennsylvania was barred from class, forced to apologize and given an academic referral for disputing “the reality of white male privilege.”

Lake Ingle said students in his Feb. 28 religious studies class watched a TED Talk by transgender woman Paula Stone Williams. He said only women were allowed to participate in a subsequent discussion.

“The floor was opened, and not a single woman spoke,” Mr. Ingle told Campus Reform. “Thirty seconds or so passed and still no woman had spoken. So, I decided it was permissible for me to enter conversation, especially because I felt the conversation itself was completely inappropriate in its structure.”

Mr. Ingle said he disputed several claims in the video, arguing there are only two biological sexes and that the gender wage gap is a myth.

The next day, Mr. Ingle met with his instructor, religious studies professor Alison Downie, who presented him with an academic referral for “objecting to the professor’s class discussion structure,” refusing to “stop talking out of turn,” making “angry outbursts in response to being required to listen to a trans speaker discuss the reality of white male privilege and sexism,” and referring disrespectfully to “the validity of trans identity and experience.”

She ordered Mr. Ingle to “write an apology to the professor which specifically addresses each of the disrespectful behaviors described above, demonstrating ability to take responsibility for inappropriate behavior which has significantly damaged the learning environment of this course.”

He was instructed to read his apology before the class on March 8 and then “listen in silence as the professor and/or any student who wishes to speak shares how he or she felt during Lake’s disrespectful and disruptive outbursts on 2-28.”

Mr. Ingle then received a letter from university Provost Timothy S. Moreland, barring him from class “until the pending academic integrity charges against you are fully adjudicated.”

“You are restricted from any contact, in person, via electronic media and/or by third party with this class or the professor until this issue is resolved,” the letter said.

Mr. Ingle said the class is necessary to graduate in May. He said he has retained legal representation.

Indiana University of Pennsylvania is a public school in Indiana County, Pennsylvania.