Racist remarks towards black students were recorded during a “private meeting” on zoom.
What We Know:
- This semester, Professor Sellers was recorded during what she believed was a private meeting with Professor David Batson. The two were discussing a black student’s performance in a course they taught jointly. Hassan Ahmad, who shared the video on Twitter, told everybody that the class meeting happened last month.
.@GeorgetownLaw negotiations Professors Sandra Sellers and David Batson being openly racist on a recorded Zoom call.
Beyond unacceptable. pic.twitter.com/q5MoWjBok8
— Hassan Ahmad (@hahmad1996) March 10, 2021
- CBS News recently reported that Professor Sandra Sellers stated, “I hate to say this … I end up having this angst every semester that a lot of my lower ones are Blacks. Happens almost every semester. And it’s like, ‘Oh, come on.’ It’s some really good ones, but there are also usually some that are just plain at the bottom. It drives me crazy.” Professor Sellers was referencing the only Black student in her class. She stated that this Black student was being placed at the bottom of the grading scale.
- When the students, community members, and alumni of Georgetown Law found out about this instance, they were upset and made it known in the Georgetown BLSA Instagram comments. The Georgetown Black Law Students Association Club (BLSA) shared their own statement on their Instagram, and a couple of the students stated their opinions on its Twitter account.
How tf is it unconscious bias, if you are fully aware you are doing it?! 😠
— JPrince (@japrincer) March 11, 2021
- The law school Dean William Treanor released a statement in an interview on Thegrio. “I recognize how hurtful this incident is to members of this class, to the members of the Black community, and members of our community as a whole. I am committed to taking steps to support students through this and to addressing racism and bias wherever they appear.” At the same time, Batson has been put on administrative leave pending the investigation.
Georgetown School of Law has said that they will continue this investigation. They apologize to the students and community members for this instance from one of their faculty members.
