UC Berkeley accused of 'systemic racism' after banning white people from ... trends now
One of the most progressive and socially liberal schools in the country is cultivating controversy as it faces accusations of racism after it allegedly banned white residents from accessing a community farm on Saturdays.
Gill Tract Community Farm in nearby Albany has designated Saturdays exclusively for use by 'Black, Indigenous, and People of Color' (BIPOC) after a complaint was filed with the US Department of Education by the Mountain States Legal Foundation.
The move has been denounced by some as an example of 'systemic racism.'
Gill Tract Farm was established in 2013 through a partnership between UC-Berkeley and the local communities it serves as a site for urban farming research.
Part of the farm's ethos is to support the 'food justice' movement by cultivating crops for healthy meals.
UC-Berkeley is facing accusations of racism over allegations it has banned whites from a community farm
Gill Tract Farm has partnered with UC-Berkeley since 2013 - but the move banning whites has been slammed as “systemic racism.
Launched in 2013, the farm is a partnership between UC-Berkeley and the surrounding neighborhoods
William Trachman, general counsel for the Mountain States Legal Foundation has criticized the university's stance.
'UC-Berkeley thinks that racial segregation is progressive now, but it's no different than segregation of the past,' said Trachman told the New York Post.
'Preventing Caucasians from accessing Berkeley's College of Natural Resources Farm on Saturdays is a clear violation of Title VI, which bars educational institutions from engaging in or allowing race discrimination,' Trachman said.
Trachman is calling for a comprehensive investigation into all UC-Berkeley programs to address what he has described as 'systemic racism.'
UC-Berkeley has said they were unaware of the discrimination complaint until being contacted by the media.
'Saturdays are exclusively BIPOC. Exceptions have only been made for events that are BIPOC-centered and with plenty of advance notice and planning,' the
'I trust you stand in solidarity with upholding boundaries around that safe and sacred space,' an email from a farm manager stated.
UC-Berkeley has said they were unaware of the discrimination complaint until being contacted by the media
This controversy emerges against the backdrop of legal challenges to race-conscious admissions policies and diversity programs in higher education institutions, with concerns raised about possible reverse discrimination
After being contacted about the allegations, a spokesperson for the university denied all knowledge of the farm's special Saturday policy.
'The Gill Tract's website and calendar make no mention whatsoever of any program or activity of the sort described in the complaint. Having said that, the university takes complaints like this extremely seriously and I can assure you that on Monday I will contact the appropriate people on campus in an effort to determine what the
