I was disappointed how my alma mater, Texas A&M University, mishandled the hiring of a Dr. Kathleen McElroy who was to take over the school’s journalism department.
Like many of A&M’s journalism graduates, I had high hopes on what McElroy would do to improve the journalism department.
But those hopes faded as the university apparently listened to voices about McElroy’s background in diversity and inclusion – along with being a respected former editor at the New York Times.
After all, many on the right consider the newspaper as America’s own Pravda – the Russian propaganda organ.
Please, give me a break.
A&M first offered a tenured position to McElroy, who is black, then in successive moves watered it down finally to a one-year contract with no tenure that could be ended on the school’s whim.
A 1981 Aggie journalism graduate, McElroy wisely chose to stay with her tenured professorship at the University of Texas.
I’m baffled how my school handled the whole episode that has included the resignations of the A&M president – who apparently was involved - and the interim dean of Arts and Sciences.
It’s brought negative, nationwide attention to A&M and how damaging the right’s war on diversity and inclusion is.
And the level of scrutiny to her hiring was acknowledged by one administrator to be based, at least partly, on race, Hart Blanton, head of the department of communications and journalism, said of the decision, according to the Texas Tribune.
A&M is mounting an investigation into the hiring – or attempted hiring, as is the case.
Also in the national news is Gov. Gregg Abbott and his border policy of placing buoys along the Rio Grande River and concertina wire to discourage migrants.
A state trooper has said other troopers were told to push migrants, including women and children, back into the river and to deny them water.
I’m of the opinion he doesn’t care that cruelty is being added to his credits because of his treatment of migrants nor does he mind the Justice Department’s legal action that was filed Monday in federal court.
After all he told President Biden to “bring it on.”
Actually, the Army Corps of Engineers has a problem with the buoys strung in the middle of the Rio Grande since the river flow is the Corps responsibility.
It’s worth noting that Biden’s new immigration policy has lowered the number of migrants.
