Tuesday, July 02, 2013

Chilling Details in Vassar College Discrimination Case Against Chinese Students

It could sound worse than we had already heard in the case we reported a few days back, a story in which a promising Chinese student was expelled from Vassar College because of a consensual sexual relationship between the Chinese student and a white female student.

But as they always say, devils are in the details. If the summary sentence is shocking, the details in the legal complaint is desperately depressing.

Peter Yu picked Vassar over other schools where he had gained admission, including Wesleyan College, Bates College and Carnegie Mellon University. A big mistake he should regret in the rest of his life. With his 98% SAT, 4.19 GPA, numerous accolades in scholastic and athletic, 9 credits AP, only sky is the limit. Today, Yu has nowhere to go, with his record forever ruined by the expulsion with a serious sexual accusation.

After the night of sexual encounter between the two, which was clearly consensual based on the facts listed in the lawsuit, including witnesses accounts and, most damaging, text messages between the two in the year after that night, the duo continued to row together and see each other. A few month later, Walker invited Yu for a family dinner.

No one knows for sure what made the female student decided to press charge against Yu on non-consensual sex offense over one year later out of blue. However, what Vassar College did after that makes everyone who read through the complaint speechless.

Vassar College went out of its way to make sure Peter Yu suffer for no reason. The College denied calling witnesses. Vassar College against its own bylaw, denied having a student sitting in the hearing panel upon Yu's request. Vassar College hid evidence (testimonies from Yu's roommate who saw Walker having sex with Yu and Walker's roommate who was called by Walker to arrange a place for the sex) and refused to admit the most important evidence, those text messages exchanged between the two. Vassar College refused to allow Yu to question Walker in the hearing. To top all of these appalling discriminating actions, Vassar falsified its own procedures and expelled Yu on Section 20.2, which he was never charged with. Yu was charge with Section 20.1 and all the hearings were about Section 20.1.

By all accounts, if one shred of the evidence alleged in the complaint were true, Vassar College must still live in 1840, the peak of segregation. Vassar College's persecution against Yu, a Chinese student who had consensual sex with a white female, resembles nothing but a lynching out of hatred and ignorance.

Where are Chinese ambassador and consul generals? Where are the Chinese community leaders in New York? Where are Chinese media?

While the spokesperson of Vassar College bragged about its legal mighty, a real lawsuit outside the US in a fair court, where laws are followed and evidence are allowed to be presented will show its true color to the entire world, including to people in the US. Chinese should welcome a lawsuit in Peter Yu's hometown Dalian, China or in Beijing since it's an international case.

Vassar College probably could care less on media exposure in China. With its over $800 million endowment, it has more financial power to skip China. Perhaps it calculates that it may appeal to donors of white extremists by making its case with Peter Yu, and build its financial model upon this view.

The female student named in the lawsuit, Ms. Mary Claire Walker, remains a student at Vassar College. A male white student, who is not named and who was actually accused of Section 20.2 three months earlier, remains a student at Vassar College.

1 comment:

Ithaca Night Life, NY said...

I have not seen an official document on - line; thus to make a direct comment on the case now pending can not be made. However, there has been increases in false accusations being made within American culture which seems to be academic related. In the meantime, and what this element indicates is the additional criminal element of violation of ones civil rights is more relavant as a legal issue than what being conducted now. It is suggested that this is where the facts can be properly obtain --- through legal warrents --- and the present records set straight.
Roger M. Christian
Ithaca, New York