WARNING: This story includes the discussion of offensive and racist language.
The Undergraduate Student Union of the University of Trent is asking school not to invite the mayor of Peterborough, Jeff Leal, back to the campus after he used the word N while talking with a class last month.
The incident occurred on March 19, when Leal attended a business class as a guest professor, according to a statement from the Central Student Association of Trent.
“In addition, racist feelings that degraded black and Mexican communities,” says the statement.
“The city of Peterborough should keep its mayor to a higher standard.”
A recording from Loyal’s comments was published by the Independent Student newspaper of the University of Trent, Arthur.
In it, you can listen to Lead about the former president of the United States, Lyndon B. Johnson.
“He used this language that you would never use today, and talked about the poor [redacted] And Mexicans who taught Sunday school, “says Leal in the recording.
The word after “poor” was overcome in the recording published by Arthur. Arthur and a student to whom the publication interviewed reported that the word written was the word N.
Students have a complaint to the city’s integrity commissioner
The Student Union says that it has filed a complaint with the city’s integrity commissioner about the incident and plans to organize a sitting in the City Council on April 28.
Iyiola Alade, president of the Association of Central Students of Trent, said he was surprised that a political figure would use a racial insult during a conference.
“We urge the members of the Peterborough community to place their leaders in a higher standard. We do not believe that racism belongs to our campus, in our city or in the world,” he said in an interview with CBC News.
He said that some students have told him that the incident has shaken his belief that the university was a “safe space” of racism.
“Students don’t feel as safe as they used to do it, I would say.”
He said that the union has not asked university officials to prohibit Leal from the campus at this time, but said some students have suggested.
“We prioritize the well -being of our student body and we recommend that the university not place our students in a situation in which they have to experience damage for the second time.”
The union is also asking the university to ensure that invited speakers are properly selected, including the content reviewed before students are presented, and that they receive training in anti -racism, diversity, equity and inclusion.
The mayor apologizes to the ‘deeply offensive’ language
Loyal apologized for the comment in a statement published on the city website on Tuesday, where he said he was citing a historical comment attributed to Lyndon B. Johnson of the 1930s.
“In doing so, the appointment I used included a racial insult that is deeply offensive and harmful,” said Leal.
“Regardless of the context or intention, using that word was incorrect. I recognize the pain it has and the responsibility that I have to speak with care and respect.”
In his own statement published on Tuesday, Trent University thanked the students who presented themselves to express their concerns, and added that it is unacceptable to use racist language “regardless of the context.”
“We apologize for the damage that this caused to our students and recognize that words (racial insults) can have lasting impacts on racialized students,” says the statement.
The University says that it will extend its capital, diversity, inclusion and training in anti-negral racism to guest speakers “in an effort to ensure that such occurrence is not repeated.”
The incident highlights the need for this type of education, said Doreen Simpson, president of Remember The 400, a non -profit organization dedicated to empowering young blacks.
“When you are going to face a group of diverse people, you must understand the community with which you are going to talk and address each topic carefully,” he said.
“I think the conversation must be constant in our community, it must be more frequent, so that these situations do not occur.”
