Does UT support the KKK?

The University of Texas is one of the most well known and recognized universities in the nation. Currently, headlining news involving the university is not reporting on the school’s sports achievements or academic performance; rather they are reporting on the universities possible support of the Ku Klux Klan organization. The campus currently has a dormitory named Simkins Hall, which is named after former UT law professor and KKK organizer William Stewart Simkins. Simkins was not only an organizer for the KKK but he also gave speeches on the Klan’s behalf at the university. Controversy behind the dorm’s name arose when another former law professor Thomas Russell released a research paper last month discussing Simkins and the universities practice of standardize testing to exclude African Americans. I am very surprised and disheartened that this type of acknowledgement is allowed to be part of the campus; it shows a complete lack of respect for African Americans who work and attend the university. It is a slap in the faces to those who have sacrificed and struggled then and now to improve relationships among races. UT officials are aware of this issue involving Simkins, there once was a bust statue of him in the library but when a librarian became aware of Simkins prior involvements it was removed and stored away never to be displayed again. The dorm is an even larger representation of Simkins and its name should be changed. University officials argue that it would be more beneficial to the campus to put money into programs that help recruit and serve the “underrepresented” populations on the campus. The exact words from a UT official were, “We feel that a better use of our time and money would be to further a climate of inclusiveness and cultural diversity that looks to the future instead of dwelling on the past." Clearly this individual is out of touch with why it is that diversity is able to exist on the campus, and by continuing to allow this name to be displayed in such an honorable way will be a constant reminder of such a terrible time in history, in which we will continue to “dwell” on.