A 30-room theme home called Person Of Color (POC) house, capable of housing 56 students, joined the Berkeley Student Cooperative program. The program was designed as an affordable housing option for California’s Bay area students.

According to Daily Mail, the Student Cooperative program’s goals are ‘to provide housing to low-income, first generation, immigrant and marginalized students of color.’ 

However, the Person Of Color (POC) house rules were recently leaked on social media and ignited a firestorm due to their discrimination against white students. 

 

Apparently, the rules inform residents that ‘many POC moved here to be able to avoid white violence and presence, so respect their decision of avoidance if you bring white guests.’ 

While they say they aim for an ‘inclusive‘ environment, the rules state

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‘white guests are not allowed in common spaces,‘ 

Stephen Ross, experience manager for the Berkeley Student Cooperative, said the house’s rules are not ‘official policy.’ 

‘White people can and do live in POC house, but the focus for POC house is providing a safe and supportive living environment for people of color,’ he said. 

Senior Director of Strategic Communications at the University, Janet Gilmore, responded to the outcry saying the house is ‘not campus operated,’ and ‘it is not the role of the campus to comment.’

Gilmore said the University had ‘no such policies like the one alleged’ and that ‘Cal Housing Theme Programs do not discriminate on the basis of race, consistent with UC and campus policy.’

 ‘As this involves an off-campus non-affiliated landlord, the campus has no ability under the Code of Student Conduct to discipline the landlord.’

Would the University take the same approach if a different race was discriminated against?
UC Berkley does not have a good track record of handling racism and protecting White students. For example, a “No Whites” Day at Berkley allowed Whites and Asians to experience discrimination.

 

Some on Twitter called on Republican leaders to speak out against the racist event at Berkley.

 

 

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