UCLA’s student’s video rant has re-focused the spotlight on campus tolerance

Growing up, my parents thought it was imperative to teach by example lessons that would enable me to be happy and successful throughout my life. They engrained in me important ideas including the value of hard work and how to find the beauty in life’s turbulent lessons. There’s one lesson, however, that I believe has become increasingly more relevant and important, for it has affected my interactions with those around me all my life. This lesson is the idea of knowledge, tolerance and respect for those who are different than I.

When children recognize others’ differences, they often don’t treat them differently as a result of those differences. Children welcome and accept those who are different from them as a result of their naivety. Unfortunately, these openhearted and simple views of those around them, and of the world, don’t always remain. Those who are different, in some cases, are inevitably the victims.

Intolerance of diversity has become a major issue among young adults and on university campuses today, and it needs to be addressed immediately among administrators and educators.

Within the last two years, the University of Missouri has experienced two incidents involving hate crimes on campus. These deplorable actions have forced the university’s faculty council to examine its efforts to encourage tolerance and open-mindedness through the general education curriculum at the school. The council’s proposal would require undergraduates to take one course from a list of classes deemed “diversity intensive.” Similar to structures of writing-intensive requirements at colleges nationwide, the diversity-intensive initiative requires undergraduates to be exposed to lessons of diversity, tolerance and acceptance.

Courses included in Mizzou’s diversity initiative would not only teach principles of respect and tolerance, but would also cover a vast range of interesting and engaging topics including: histories of other cultures, religious studies, women and gender studies, peace studies and black studies, to name a few. All of the course offerings are pertinent to general education requirements and, in many ways, also pertain to students’ declared majors.

It is vital that major universities consider similar programs in an effort to put an end to hate crimes, intolerance and discrimination among students. It is a requirement that would force even the most ignorant of people to be exposed to others that may change their views. It promotes unity among students and, more importantly, teaches lessons of respect and tolerance that are vital to all people.