UT students wanted to condemn comments targeting Indian-origin students but university thought it was not just Bo French

A month later, Republican leader Bo French posted a racist comment targeting Indians and expressed how unapologetic he was; details emerged about how the students reacted and how they wanted the university authorities to issue a stern reply immediately, but then all they got was a measured statement that did not even have Bo French's name. “I heard UT graduation this year looked like this,” French, the Republican running for a seat on the Texas Railroad Commission, wrote in a post featuring a photo of the students. “I didn’t believe it. The problem is now obviously far worse than anyone imagined.”The students were Indian-origin US citizens.35 hours after the post created a storm on social media, UT-Austin President Jim Davis issued a statement saying that all UT students were Longhorns. He did not touch upon the race issue.The Texas Tribune reported that within hours, Davis' office received 22 emails urging him to speak up. “Silence in the face of bigotry is complicity,” wrote Rohan Reddy Gupta, a 2020 graduate. “A clear, public condemnation of these racist remarks is not optional; it is a moral obligation.”3 professors stepped up, wrote email to studentsThree Indian-origin Computer Science professors stepped up and wrote an email to the students. “We want to express our support for all students regardless of ethnicity, and tell you that if you need someone to talk to, we are here to help,” computer science professors Keshav Pingali, Vijay Chidambaram and Chandrajit Bajaj wrote in an email to students. Texas Tribune reported that Pingali said growing hostility toward Indian Americans prompted the message. He also recognized former students in the photo French included in his remarks and was distressed to learn some feared attending future football games. Students later visited Pingali’s office to thank him, saying they appreciated knowing faculty members were paying attention, he said.UT's student body drafted a message but then...Texas Monthly reported that Dean Young, a member of the UT Student Government, drafted a message condemning Bo French.“Recent public comments attributed to Bo French have generated discussion and concern among members of the University community regarding the treatment and representation of South Asian students,” Young wrote in one draft. “Student Government stands with all students, regardless of race, as proud Longhorns.”The resolution was sponsored by a bipartisan group of eleven other student government representatives, including one affiliated with the campus chapter of the conservative Turning Point USA. But a few days after filing the resolution for consideration by the broader student government body, Young was contacted by Jennifer Zamora, the new faculty adviser to student government. Young told Texas Monthly that Zamora advised that they should not mention French in the resolution because he is a candidate for political office. Zamora cited a prohibition on political speech by university-sponsored organizations and said French’s comments had by then sparked a much larger debate that should be the focus of the resolution. “It’s not just Bo French who is saying these things,” Young recalled being told. “All over social media, there is hate about South Asians.”You use AI every day. Now get your AI Quotient. Take the AIQ test.