Parents Ask Board to Stand Against Black Lives Matter, Critical Race Theory on Gordon's Campus

by Collin Hall '21, Editor-In-Chief

Pictured: Socially distanced students gather and march at Gordon’s chapel in support of Black Lives Matter.

Members of a Facebook group of Gordon parents upset with what they describe as the college’s embrace of the Black Lives Matter movement and its failure to protect students who refused to support the movement recently sent the Board of Trustees a letter condemning “racial division, identity politics, and the separation of people by color and sexual identity into arbitrary classes.”

The letter opens with concerns about the trajectory the college took last semester as it dealt with issues of race and hate: “Black Lives Matter (BLM) was a visible movement on campus and shockingly, unbiblical Critical Race Theory (CRT) and social justice theory were promoted, not only through student activism, but also by professors in class. These humanistic philosophies have no basis in Scripture and push aside the gospel of Jesus Christ as the solution for the problem of sin, including the sin of racism.”

The letter was primarily written by an executive with a conservative public policy group, Mary Siegler, and a pastor from Fall River, Mass., Mike Silva, according to Facebook posts on the group’s page. Siegler declined to tell a Tartan reporter how many people had signed the letter, which she said has been given to the trustees; a spokesperson for the college confirmed that the Trustees have received the letter.

The letter states that the “bright light of Gordon College” is growing “ever so dim” as a result of what it calls a retreat from orthodoxy. It argues that parents have been “deceived” by a college that publicly presents itself as conservative but capitulates to the demands of Black Lives Matter culture.

The majority of the letter criticizes the college’s response to last semester’s sit-ins and protests that were sparked by several acts of hate. This letter originated in a Facebook group called “Concerned Gordon College Parents,” a page created as a spin-off page for parents who object to the censorship they said they experienced in the original Gordon College Parents page. The new group now has over 160 members.

The Facebook page where the letter was hosted was created with three basic concerns, as articulated by Siegler. 

• “We believe that Gordon College is compromising their stated mission to graduate men and women distinguished by intellectual maturity and Christian character, committed to lives of service and prepared for leadership worldwide.”

• “We are concerned that Gordon College is not holding students accountable to their published Life and Conduct Statement or remaining true to their Statement of Faith. 

• “We are opposed to Critical Race Theory and other types of social justice ideology that takes away from a focus on the Gospel as the solution to racial or other problems (CRT asserts that all white people are racist and oppressors.)”

The Facebook group was private, but a member of the group provided The Tartan with access. As of Sunday, Feb 7, the Facebook group appears to have been taken down.

The letter states that the various BLM signs, as well as the signs erected in support of Gordon’s Asian community, are in violation of Gordon’s “Shalom” statement. The concerned parents contend that these signs contain “divisive and unbiblical messages and are clearly against the stated principles of ‘Shalom’ which the school espouses.”

Elsewhere, the letter criticizes signs that were hung in the student center in support of Asian students because they were put up at a time when high school students were touring Gordon. 

It also expresses worry that students who do not agree “with BLM ideology” and those who choose “to not comment at all” are being “persecuted” on-campus, and that the administration is not doing enough to support those being persecuted in this way. 

Parents who said in Facebook comments that they signed the letter further worry that “the college administration is not providing a balance of views on racial issues.” They worry that speakers being brought to campus for lectures are too single-minded when it comes to issues of race; the letter says that “it would be preferable to have at least one speaker who challenges the CRT framework.” Signees also worries that President Lindsay is sympathetic towards Critical Race Theory appearing in Gordon’s curriculum. They point to language in an email-response they received from Lindsay that does not actively condemn CRT.

As a whole, the letter contains nine bullet-pointed examples of ways that BLM and the school’s focus on racial issues is harmful to Gordon’s Christian witness, to its students, and to the gospel of Christ. The only other larger issue raised by the letter relates to human sexuality. 

The letter references a 2019 theater performance, As I Am, put on by the Communication Arts Department. The final bullet-point reads: “plays performed on campus in 2019 communicated confusing messages about human sexuality, included lesbian characters kissing and petting each other, and characters using profuse profanity.” 

Gordon student Michael Gore ‘21, who attended As I Am, said that he recalls no “profuse profanity,” “lesbian kissing,” or “petting.” “Definitely no, I don’t remember that,” he said.

Edit: The letter is also referring to two student-directed shorts presented in the Fall of 2019.

When approached by The Tartan, Siegler said: 

“The letter was intended to be a direct and confidential communication with the Board of Trustees, so a public comment is not appropriate at this time. I hope you reconsider the wisdom in publishing a private letter.”  

Connie D’Souza, a member of the Facebook group, claims that the current climate at Gordon is a result of “spiritual warfare,” and that “Satan is at work” at Gordon.

Manny Silva, another administrator of the Facebook page, wonders if two of the prominent racial attacks on-campus last semester were staged. He said in a comment on the Facebook group: “I did make it clear to Dan (Tymann) when I talk to him that I highly suspect that perhaps the first one in August, and even perhaps this one especially was made up…”  

Silva also sent a letter to Tymann on Nov 9, 2020, similar in tone and scope to the more recent letter to the Board of Trustees. His letter alleges censorship on the original Gordon Parents Page; some of Silva’s own posts were previously removed from that initial page. 

He also posted pictures of a black student’s Instagram post, alleging that several black students have posted racist comments aimed at white students. Silva wonders why these incidents were not taken as seriously as the ones directed at students of color. He said of the posting student: “I am praying for his salvation, because it does not seem he is saved.” 

Silva also tells the story of an RA who he leaves anonymous. He claims the RA was coerced into signing a letter of reconciliation that she did not agree with. The only quote Silva provided from the letter in his post was: “We must not allow anti-black or anti-color sentiments to fester among residents.” 

The Tartan reached out to Gordon’s Student Body President, Shineika Fareus, and Gordon’s Student Body Vice-President, Cam Grinnell, but they did not reply to request for comment. 

Rick Sweeney, Gordon’s Vice President of External Communications, wrote in a statement to The Tartan: 

“The Board did receive the letter as they were in their regular February meeting. They acknowledged the difficulties many students may have experienced in a very volatile fall semester, but also recognized the reality that a portion of the body of Christ at Gordon – our students of color – is hurting more than others. That is why we have committed time and resources to improving the campus experience that takes into consideration the concerns they have shared directly with the administration and will continue to do so. The Trustees did emphasize all students should have a voice at the table, and all should be treated with respect and dignity, even when they hold convictions that seem counter to those held by others.

“They were also clear in response to the parents’ concerns that as a Christian institution, Gordon’s frame of reference is not humanist or political or secular philosophy, nor will it ever be. We stand upon the biblical teaching that the root of hatred, bigotry and disharmony is the fallen nature of humankind, redeemed only through the saving grace of Jesus Christ.”