White Student Returns $1000 Scholarship Meant for Black Students

Did he do the right thing?

When senior Jeffrey Warren was announced as the winner of a $1000 scholarship, his classmates didn't applaud - they broke into nervous laughter. That's because Warren is white, and the scholarship is an award for black students.

When Warren had applied for the funds, he thought he was eligible, because the application form said only that African American students are "encouraged to apply." However, the scholarship is actually intended only for black students. Warren returned the scholarship to its source, the Martin Luther King Senior Citizens Club, the next day. He explained to reporters, "I knew they were trying to do a good deed for the African-American community. I had no trouble giving it back to them at all."

His scholarship has since been awarded to a black student who'll attend Cornell University. But Warren isn't left empty-handed: he won three other scholarships that he'll take to San Diego State this fall.

Should Warren have been encouraged to keep the scholarship?

[Keyjo]

Mr. Warren apparently felt he did the right thing, so I feel he did as well. While I hate to see scholarships, schools, awards or any privileges based on race, gender or any other discriminatory criteria, I applaud Jeffery for integrity.

[FollowTheMoney]

Why the hell do we still put up with this racist crap! scholarships based on race....WTF!

[rrh7152]

I thought we were trying to get rid of this racist crap. A scholarship should be given to those who earn it, not if they are black or white.

[jrbaytown]

Why would a club with Martin Luther King's name in it, a man that stood for racial equality, give a scholarship based on race? I wonder if there are any scholarships for white people only? Oh, wait...that would be racist.

[Goebel]

Dr. King was in favour of racial equality, yes. Given that, he was also in favour of doing things to level the playing field that had been leveled in the favour of white man by centuries of racism.

[ir0nw0lfe]

Playing field has been leveled for decades now. Time to let go of the racial guilt of your ancestors. They're dead and their crimes died with them.

[Goebel]

"Playing field has been leveled for decades now. Time to let go of the racial guilt of your ancestors. They're dead and their crimes died with them."

I beg to disagree based on the overwhelming average economic difference between people of colour and whites.

[Thumper]

King’s socialism also convinced many blacks to adopt welfare liberalism. It transformed them into a permanent Democratic constituency. The results have been disastrous. The nanny state has crippled the black community, undermining self-reliance, entrepreneurship and personal responsibility. It has fostered family breakdown, soaring rates of illegitimacy and trapped millions in a cycle of poverty and urban squalor. King showed blacks the way out from segregation, but he led them to an economic plantation.

**** http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/topics...

[Keyjo]

Goebel, I don't know. There are lots of affluent people of color and millions of poor whites. I'd kind of like to see how things would be on a totally equal playing field.

[Goebel]

Yes, he did. He didn't take $1000 from those trying to help an oppressed group without being a member of the group himself. I think it's quite obvious which action was appropriate.

[ir0nw0lfe]

You carry a lot of guilt don't you? Worried you are a closet racist? Od he earned the scholarship and they didn't know what color he was then he must have earned it on merit. Why do we allow scholarships or any rewards based on race?

[Goebel]

"You carry a lot of guilt don't you? Worried you are a closet racist?"

Like most people living in our culture, I'm sure that I have some racist tendencies. I try to eliminate them if they are noticed, though. So no, I'm not really worried about that.

"Od he earned the scholarship and they didn't know what color he was then he must have earned it on merit. Why do we allow scholarships or any rewards based on race?"

Because one race, whites, have statistically better access to education and means of getting an education (good housing locations, money, etc) than people of colour due to centuries of continued racial oppression.

[Truthinesss]

Is it really oppression anymore? I don't believe. That excuse is worn out and no longer applies. Its time to let go.

[ir0nw0lfe]

I'm with Truthiness on this one. Oppression is way past . If there are blacks still using white oppression as an excuse not to succeed in America then they are fooling themselves. We have legions of successful black people in this country in every field of endeavor. The perpetuation of the white oppression in today's mainstream culture is a myth. I'm past feeling guilt for crimes I didn't commit against people long departed. Time to move on and define ourselves by our own futures. Quote: No fate but what we make.

[Goebel]

"Oppression is way past ."

it appears that you are ignoring the statistics. How about defining "oppression" in a way that the statistics of racial inequality do not apply to? Can you do that?

"If there are blacks still using white oppression as an excuse not to succeed in America then they are fooling themselves. We have legions of successful black people in this country in every field of endeavor."

The argument isn't that blacks cannot succeed in America. It never has been. Back in the days of slavery, white folks would say that slavery isn't oppressive because some slaves worked their way out of slavery and became successful. They pointed to a few examples of prior slaves that went on to own slaves after their captivity ended.

The debate isn't about whether or not one can be black and succeed. The debate is on whether blacks are less likely to succeed because of their race. And the answer to that, statistically speaking, is yes.

"The perpetuation of the white oppression in today's mainstream culture is a myth. I'm past feeling guilt for crimes I didn't commit against people long departed. Time to move on and define ourselves by our own futures. Quote: No fate but what we make."

Blacks were put down by whites. Mass slavery, Jim Crows laws, education segregation, housing segregation, etc. Do you really think that after those things ended that the differences between race just magically went away without anything being done to fix the inequalities that resulted? And that's ignoring modern oppression, the most striking example of such being law enforcement bias against blacks.

[crystalbleyes]

If there was a scholarship just for WHITE students, how much uproar would there be from Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton? There should not be ANY scholarship awarded based on race!!!!!! They should be awarded SOLELY on grades, activities and financial needs.

[fert]

what the hell does race have to do with it??

[Janniel]

Yes, he did the right thing. Still, it's time to stop race-based hands up programs. There are children of all races that are oppressed by poverty. If we want race relations to continue to improve, we need to get onto a two-way street.

[Goebel]

Intersectionality: a methodology of studying "the relationships among multiple dimensions and modalities of social relationships and subject formations. The theory suggests—and seeks to examine how—various biological, social and cultural categories such as gender, race, class, ability, and other axes of identity interact on multiple and often simultaneous levels, contributing to systematic social inequality. Intersectionality holds that the classical conceptualizations of oppression within society, such as racism, sexism, homophobia, and religion-based bigotry, do not act independently of one another; instead, these forms of oppression interrelate, creating a system of oppression that reflects the "intersection" of multiple forms of discrimination.1

1. http://www.caen.iufm.fr/colloque_iartem/pdf/k...

[Janniel]

Goebel, while I appreciate the information, you say yourself that intersectionality is but a methodology of study. As a feminist, since back in the days when we were called 'women's libbers' I have to say that there comes a time to move on. We can study ourselves from here to eternity, but that will not make positive change. The only thing that will is to keep moving forward and quit looking over our shoulders for reasons to feel victimized. I stand by my original post. Peace.

[jreamlover]

Although it was a scholarship meant for a black student, if he didnt misreport his race and the scholarship committee felt he earned it then he deserves it.

[PoliTee]

Good job

[CommonSense]

Of course he did the right thing. The scholarship was intended only for black students and he told the truth and refused the scholarship.
BUT that doesn't mean the scholarship awarders are doing the right thing. A scholarship only for black people is a racist scholarship. People often make the argument that black people are more likely to be in poverty so this is OK. That's ridiculous, because whether or not someone is in poverty can be assessed independently of race, so just make a scholarship that's aimed at people in poverty instead.

[autiger]

He looks as black as Pes. Obama.. We have white-Hispanic.. Mabe he's black- caucasian ?? Now thats funny .

[Jack-Black]

I have no real issue with him returning the money, but why did he apply for it if he could be shamed into returning it. Alsoof , The NAACP needs to keep their nose out scholarship for just White students. Which I am asuming they will,

[Kruzer]

He did what many black people would never do. He returned something that was not rightfully his.

[Diagnosis]

Well ...... either "give it up" or have it "taken" from you later on.

I assume that if there is a "black scholorship" there must be a "black award giving ceremony" and "black student of the year", and interveiws from "Ebony" and "Afro-American" magazines, yes? Should he have showed up to those with shoe polish on his face???

Giving it back was the ONLY thing he could have done.