Yesterday I discussed a New York Times article of Sunday, December 27. A young woman, Mimi Groves, had posted a racist video which came to light resulting in a university withdrawing its admissions offer. It was brought to the university’s attention by a Black student who had graduated from the same high school and who was sick and tired of the racism that was part of the school’s culture.

Yet another point emerged…was there another way to indicate the ire of minority students without the consequence she endured? The article stated that another Black student said Ms Groves had been a friend of hers and even before the video went viral she had apologized to her. This friend said, “We’re supposed to educate people, not ruin their lives all because you want to feel a sense of empowerment.”

This is a very important question. In Judaism the concept of “eye for an eye” has been interpreted as a punishment not to be taken literally. It should be an “equivalent.” Now I know this is not the same, not parallel by any stretch of the imagination…or is it? The victim is pained by the terrible racist comment; the offender is pained by the consequence of being asked to leave the university. The young man who circulated the video had no regrets, saying, “If I never posted that video, nothing would have ever happened…I’m going to remind myself: You started something. You taught someone a lesson.”

Considering the accusation that there a systemic racism in our country, maybe students like Ms Groves should be required to take an in-depth course for a semester, even a year (no credit), for which there should be a national curriculum designed by a committee created by the US Secretary of Education.

What do you think?

Can you offer a solution that would teach a lesson?