Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick’s selection of a white man to chair the board of Roxbury Community College has angered community activists who believe a black person would be better for the job.
“[The appointment] is sending a message that although we are a predominantly black institution, it will take a white person to give you the vision and leadership to take the college to the ‘promised land’ of education,” wrote Sadiki Kambon, leader of an activist group called Friends of Roxbury Community College in a letter to Patrick. “That is the plantation type mentality.”
The student population at RCC is 48 percent black. White students represented just 6 percent, according to The Boston Herald.
The governor’s office maintained that Patrick’s pick, Gerald Chertavian, is right for the job, despite his skin color. Chertavian is CEO of Year Up, a nonprofit that seeks to empower struggling urban youths.
“Gerald Chertavian has proven to be a champion of quality education for all students and is beyond qualified for this new post,” said State Education Secretary Matthew Malone in statement.
The Boston Herald noted that students and faculty at RCC seemed pleased with the selection of Chertavian.
But Kambon insisted that Patrick, the first black governor of Massachusetts, should replace Cheravian with a qualified black man.
“It’s important for our young people to see someone who looks like us who is the position of leadership in our academic community,” wrote Kambon. “We feel that someone from our community has the skill set necessary to run that institution.”
Kambon did mention that he was satisfied with the selection of Valerie Roberson, a black woman, as the new president of RCC. She was chosen by the board.
Adrian Walker, a columnist for The Boston Globe, wrote that Kambon is an obnoxious gadfly whose actions smack of racism.
Content created by The Daily Caller News Foundation is available without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a large audience. For licensing opportunities of our original content, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.
All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter’s byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.
