Naropa University Students Occupy Campus: Demand Administration Address White Privilege

At a school that was founded as a Buddhist inspired location of extra-traditional methods of learning, Naropa now finds itself at the center of student discontent and criticism. Students have begun an occupation on campus and have spent the past two nights there in tents in front of the administration building.

Naropa students and supporters marched from campus last night to the Boulder courthouse for a teach-in about another racial justice issue-climate justice. But before that, the issue of racial justice and equality on the campus was central to why a student uprising is happening on campus.

One principle which is key to addressing the racial trauma that students say is on campus, is for the privileged class to describe and talk about it. This means that onlookers will be directed to white students for example, so that the traumatized will not have to relive the trauma by repeatedly explaining it.

After occupying the Green on campus during the day, the group marched to downtown Boulder and held another teach-in with other members of the Boulder community surrounded by a light brigade.