Multicultural Exchange Program?? – Do you think this is a parody or for real?
NORFOLK — A group of Norfolk State University students and a physical education teacher will spend a few days at the University of Utah this week soaking up West Coast culture and discussing race. When they return, a group from Utah will visit the predominantly black university and participate in frank sessions about their cultural differences.
The trips are aimed at teaching aspiring physical education and fitness trainers about cultural differences in health.
Kara A. Witzke doesn’t want her 18 physical education students to perpetuate stereotypes in their classrooms and gyms when they graduate from NSU. Two of her students will be heading to Utah today.
Janet M. Shaw wants her senior exercise science students in Utah to know that some cultures believe that overweight is beautiful.
A parody, right? I bet you thought I made this too easy by saying the Norfolk State students would be “soaking up West Coast culture” in their visit to the University of Utah. Wrong! Not only is this for real, but according to the article in the (Norfolk) Virginian-Pilot in which the above quotes actually appear, taxpayers are even subsidizing it (Also look here for more discussion of this breathtaking program).
Witzke and Shaw submitted grant proposals to their universities to fund the first-time multicultural exchange program. NSU awarded Witzke $2,700. Shaw received $1,560.
I would say, let’s hope the visiting Utahans don’t O.D. on all that fried chicken, fatback, and watermelon and that the NSU visitors to Salt Lake City (that hotbed of “West Coast culture”) escape the clutches of Mormonism with their religion intact, but that sort of comment would be playing to racist stereotypes. Wouldn’t it?
