New York University issues public apology for 'racially insensitive' meal served during Black History Month

New York University has issued a public apology and fired their director of food service after students pointed out the watermelon-flavoured water and collard greens the school was serving during Black History Month were racially insensitive.

College of Arts and Science sophomore Nia Harris noticed the offensive meal when she walked into Weinstein Passport Dining Hall - before alerting the deans of the school and NYU’s President Hamilton of the insensitive and “stereotypical” meal.

In her letter, which she also shared on Facebook, Harris wrote: “It is with great sadness and frustration that I even have to send this email.”

“Not only was this racially insensitive, this was just ignorant. In 2018, there’s no excuse for intentional and deliberate disrespect,” she continued.

Harris then requested the school make a public apology to its black students - and suggested if the school wants to “learn how to celebrate Black history and culture during this month, you can ask the black students at this school instead of patronising us with Kool Aid, watermelon, and ribs.”

Harris’s letter received over 800 reactions on Facebook and was shared close to 300 times - with many commenting that a public apology was in order.

Source: Yahoo News