University of Illinois Chancellor responds to Twitter hate

"Racist, intimidating or culturally derogatory epithets have no place in any debate in any circumstance."


Earlier this week, Chancellor Phyllis Wise sent an email to the student, faculty and staff of University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign informing the campus community that in spite of a bad weather forecast, classes would be held as usual on Monday. The unpopular decision set off a tide of ugly twitter hate.

I wish Chancellor Wise had a Twitter account. I wish she had thrown her hands up, said, "oh hell no" and put all those haters on blast. Alas, the "tweet" above is a Photoshop job for your amusement.

Moving Past Digital Hate

Instead, the Chancellor offered a much more classy, measured response to the hate, acknowledging that the negative comments are protected by free speech, but calling for a higher standard in debate and discourse:

So you didn't get a snow day. Respond with racism and sexism.

Stay classy, University of Illinois.



This is the email that set off a Twitter tide of racist, misogynist bullshit.

I hate cold weather. I admit, being a west coast kid, I can't relate much to polar vortexes and snow days as of late. However, my college days did see their share of Midwest winters. And man, they suck. But that's neither here nor there. I say this as a fellow human being: grow the fuck up, University of Illinois.

After Being Denied A Snow Day, University Of Illinois Students Respond With Racism And Sexism

I'm speaking specifically to the asshole students at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign who participated in the Twitter hashtag "#FuckPhyllis." On Sunday night, University Chancellor Phyllis Wise emailed the student body saying in spite of the weather forecast, school would be in session on Monday.

Some students, suddenly shocked that the college they chose to attend is subject to shitty weather, were compelled to take to Twitter and bellyache about the fact that they had to go to school. You know, like students. The complaining quickly devolved into racist and sexist hate directed at Chancellor Wise.

It got ugly fast.