The attacks on higher ed, and education in general, led by Republicans in states such as Florida and Texas, are disgusting. Yet educators, unions and their supporters seem to be the only ones standing up to these fascist and racist regimes.
I previously wrote about sports needing to fight back against leaders such as Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, but one specific organization has infuriatingly remained in hibernation as institutions, boards, educators, curriculums and individuals suffer.
The NCAA.
According to its mission statement, the NCAA is “a member-led organization focused on cultivating an environment that emphasizes academics, fairness and well-being across college sports.”
Notice the statement starts with academics, denoting the importance of education and curriculum.
Under academics, the NCAA states, “To get the most out of college, student-athletes have to succeed on the court and in the classroom. The NCAA provides opportunities to learn, compete and grow on and off the field.”
Under fairness, the NCAA notes its “committed to providing a fair, inclusive and fulfilling environment for student-athletes and giving them a voice in the decision-making process.”
And under well-being, it states “In 1906, the NCAA was founded to keep college athletes safe. The Association is still working hard to protect them physically and mentally.”
This means the NCAA should already be heavily involved in the fight against the attacks on education. If it’s truly dedicated to academics, the classroom, opportunities to learn, growing off the field and ensuring the physical and mental well-being of student-athletes, the NCAA should be leading the counter-attack on states like Florida and Texas.
Instead, not only has the NCAA remained silent, it has actually rewarded these states by granting them NCAA Championship events. This includes the 2023 men’s and women’s Final Four in Houston and Dallas, respectively, and two upcoming College World Series regional events in Miami and Gainesville.
What makes the NCAA’s silence even more disappointing is the fact that it has a history of standing up to discrimination.
The NCAA barred South Carolina from hosting Championship events for 14 years until 2015 when the state finally took down the Confederate flags that flew over its State House. And the state only did that after photos of mass murder and white supremacist Dylann Roof, who murdered nine members of a Black South Carolina congregation, surfaced of him posing with the flag.
Yet the NCAA stood firm for over a decade.
In September 2016, the NCAA moved several championship events out of North Carolina, including the men’s basketball tournament, after the state passed H.B. 2, better known as the “Bathroom Bill.”
In its decision, which followed the NBA’s decision in July to move its All-Star Game out of the state, the NCAA stated “NCAA championships and events must promote an inclusive atmosphere for all college athletes, coaches, administrators and fans. Current North Carolina state laws make it challenging to guarantee that host communities can help deliver on that commitment.”
That decision negatively impacted the state’s economy and tarnished its rich history with basketball. Duke and UNC aside, the state, according to the NCAA, has hosted more men’s basketball tournament games than any other state.
But the NCAA made a rightful decision and stood up against discrimination.
“Fairness is about more than the opportunity to participate in college sports, or even compete for championships. We believe in providing a safe and respectful environment at our events,” said then NCAA president, Mark Emmert.
Other states joined the fight as well. New York barred state-sponsored travel to North Carolina, resulting in SUNY Albany canceling a men’s basketball game at Duke. Vermont did the same as the University of Vermont women’s basketball team canceled its game at UNC.
And while UNC, a state institution, remained neutral by stating it had been “caught in the middle of a conflict that we did not create between state law and federal guidance,” its archrival Duke, a private institution, spoke out against the law, called for its repeal and said university administrators “deplore in the strongest possible terms the new state law.”
Then in June 2020, in the wake of Georges Floyd’s murder, the NCAA expanded its Confederate flag policy by barring all states where the Confederate symbol “has a prominent presence” from hosting all NCAA championship events. That rule solely targeted Mississippi as it was the only state retaining the symbol on its flag. A year later, Mississippi adopted a new flag with a white magnolia blossom instead of the Confederate symbol.
“There is no place in college athletics or the world for symbols or acts of discrimination and oppression,” said Ohio State president and chair of the NCAA’s board of governors, Michael V. Drake, at the time.
Event SEC commissioner Greg Sankey jumped on board with the NCAA’s decision.
“Our students deserve an opportunity to learn and compete in environments that are inclusive and welcoming to all,” said Sankey.
Only three short years ago, the NCAA and others took a firm stance against a symbol representing discrimination and oppression and delivered change.
But three years later, discrimination and oppression are back, yet these parties have said and done nothing in response.
DeSantis’ regime has plowed through higher education with threats, white-washing and the passage of discriminatory laws.
Texas is basically one step away from eliminating DEI offices at public colleges and institutions.
Those actions could put many of the universities in those states in violation of the NCAA’s eligibility requirements.
Yet both the NCAA remains mute and refrains from taking action.
The organization has worked with these states on NIL, but when it comes to countering the crusade to eliminate diversity and education specifically related to Black culture and history, the chosen response is silence.
That inaction is glaring.
Just three short years ago, symbols and acts of discrimination were detested, denounced and fought against. The overall tone was nothing but supportive of inclusivity and it was complemented by action.
Yet three short years later, these same organizations and voices remain silent while red states and their fascist leaders dismantle, discriminate and oppress the very systems those organizations work with and claim to protect.
The NCAA must recall its roots and review its mission statement for it is clearly failing as it relates to education and the protection of its student-athletes.
It once stood up to protect some of its student-athletes. But now the NCAA must remember that it was designed to do the same for all student-athletes, especially those with melanin.
