General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsHarvard Rescinds Acceptances for At Least Ten Students for Obscene Memes
By HANNAH NATANSON, CRIMSON STAFF WRITER 16 hours ago
Harvard College rescinded admissions offers to at least ten prospective members of the Class of 2021 after the students traded sexually explicit memes and messages that sometimes targeted minority groups in a private Facebook group chat.
A handful of admitted students formed the messaging grouptitled, at one point, Harvard memes for horny bourgeois teenson Facebook in late December, according to two incoming freshmen.
In the group, students sent each other memes and other images mocking sexual assault, the Holocaust, and the deaths of children, according to screenshots of the chat obtained by The Crimson. Some of the messages joked that abusing children was sexually arousing, while others had punchlines directed at specific ethnic or racial groups. One called the hypothetical hanging of a Mexican child piñata time.
After discovering the existence and contents of the chat, Harvard administrators revoked admissions offers to at least ten participants in mid-April, according to several members of the group. University officials have previously said that Harvards decision to rescind a students offer is final.
College spokesperson Rachael Dane wrote in an emailed statement Saturday that we do not comment publicly on the admissions status of individual applicants.
more
http://www.thecrimson.com/article/2017/6/5/2021-offers-rescinded-memes/
Yupster
(14,308 posts)probably have a half dozen other acceptances from other top rated schools.
spooky3
(34,563 posts)the same posts and make the same decisions.
DefenseLawyer
(11,101 posts)You really think keeping these kids from getting a good education is going to "teach everyone a lesson" and kids will suddenly stop doing stupid things? Good luck with that. I assume you also think that juveniles who commit crimes should all be tried as adults and be felons at 14 or 15?
angstlessk
(11,862 posts)..some of the 10 might have a very hard education...that of the 'hard knocks' variety?
LanternWaste
(37,748 posts)"you really think keeping these kids from getting a good education..."
Do you really think these kids will be denied a good education? Good luck with that.
"I assume you also think that juveniles who commit crimes..."
I assume you also think consequences of our actions should be overlooked in all cases. (six of one, half a dozen of the other... and each as fallacious as the other)
DefenseLawyer
(11,101 posts)because "actions have consequences," right? Sucks to be you, kid. Good luck in prison.
onenote
(42,915 posts)to trying a 14 year old as an adult?
I'm a pretty good athlete, but that sort of leap is far beyond anything I could manage.
One other point. I'm not sure about this, but it was my impression that an 18 year old (and even a 17 year old in some jurisdictions) is almost always (if not always) deemed at adult for purposes of criminal liability.
rusty fender
(3,428 posts)JI7
(89,305 posts)spooky3
(34,563 posts)A kid who establishes a wonderful charity or invents something great or overcomes substantial obstacles is strongly preferred to kids with similar academic qualifications. Only a tiny fraction of those who apply are admitted. Probably 25% or more of the people they reject are very well qualified to succeed at Harvard or elsewhere, with A+ records and 95%-ile scores or better on standardized exams.
(I'm omitting the "legacy" admissions for this post.)
Giving one of these other students an acceptance is a very good solution. Or are you unconcerned about the other students' ability to get a "good education"?
Harvard also protects itself from later problems that might occur if it had allowed any of the posters to attend and they then engaged in harassing, racist, etc., behavior or contributed to a hostile environment for other students, or worse. If another student had been harmed by their behavior, certainly you as a "lawyer" would know that the student's attorney would argue that Harvard had advance notice that the student might be problematic, which makes the university even more likely to be held accountable. There currently are cases pending at several universities, including the most elite.
And you honestly equate not being able to attend Harvard with not being able to get a "good education"? Give me a break. Those kids who posted messages the committee considered offensive, discriminatory, etc.? There are plenty of other universities for them that will trade-off their academic records with the potential problems. Harvard has the luxury of not having to do so.
DefenseLawyer
(11,101 posts)I just think in general, we shouldn't lose our collective shit when a kid makes a mistake.
underpants
(183,165 posts)They screwed up big time.
JI7
(89,305 posts)tammywammy
(26,582 posts)karynnj
(59,519 posts)for accepting other top schools or had written polite notes to say that they were not coming. It's been years since my girls applied for colleges, but has the timeline changed that much? They also can't really explain why they changed "their" minds.
Kittycow
(2,396 posts)The content needs to be front and center like it is in this story. Somebody in another story is brushing it off as "dark humor".
At any rate, I was under the impression that Harvard wanted students of exemplary character, which these clowns don't seem to be.
Aristus
(66,587 posts)I think she's pretty well qualified for acceptance. But she's been rejected twice so far, and I think it's because of her social media posts. She's a party girl, and is constantly posting cleavage, duck-mouth, and hand-sign pics on Facebook before going out for the night. I think the acceptance committee of the school may be seeing those and rejecting her applications as a result.
I don't know a good way to broach the subject with her. But I think it's holding her back.
spooky3
(34,563 posts)Part of my job involves working with people in this same age group, and they are very social-media savvy. Most are VERY open to the message that universities and prospective employers have software programs to search for exactly this type of photo, message, etc., and will reject them on that basis.
Please tell her that you're interested in maximizing her opportunities, that she may not know that employers and universities can access these items, and that the selection process typically is a search for negative info, so...
You can invite her to search online for more info about this for confirmation if she wants to. It's out there.
oasis
(49,551 posts)Maybe Boris Espsteyn can use some interns.
Kick in to the DU tip jar?
This week we're running a special pop-up mini fund drive. From Monday through Friday we're going ad-free for all registered members, and we're asking you to kick in to the DU tip jar to support the site and keep us financially healthy.
As a bonus, making a contribution will allow you to leave kudos for another DU member, and at the end of the week we'll recognize the DUers who you think make this community great.