BYU Black Student Union members show up to Brad Wilcox class hoping for dialogue
PROVO, Utah (KUTV) — The president of the Black Student Union at Brigham Young University says the organization is expected to meet with religion professor Brad Wilcox.
Nate Byrd made the announcement in a post on the organization’s Instagram page.
“He and his office did respond letting us know that they would get back to us with the time that we could meet,” said Byrd. “So we are currently waiting to hear back from them about that.”
BACKGROUND
- Latter-day Saint leader Brad Wilcox apologizes for comments about race
- Additional videos surface of Brad Wilcox making controversial comments on race
- BYU Black Student Union members react to Brad Wilcox remarks
- Brad Wilcox acknowledges pattern of 'insensitive' and 'hurtful' comments on race
The apparent agreement comes after Byrd and other Black Student Union members say they showed up at one of Wilcox’s classes Thursday.
“Today, members of the Black Student Union dressed up in all black, to represent solidarity, and we went down to Brad Wilcox’s class in the Jesse Knight building,” said Byrd on Instagram. “When we got there, we were met with security outside of his classroom door. We just wanted to go inside and sit down and kind of start a dialogue.”
In the post, Byrd implied that some people were portraying the visit to Wilcox’s class as an aggressive move.
“They have said we were there to force our way in,” said Byrd. “They have this perception that we were there in violence or in high energy, high emotions what have you. But we were waiting calmly outside the door. We did not cause any disturbance and anyone who was there can vouch for that.”
In the video, Byrd says they were able to meet with Wilcox briefly after his class ended. Byrd says Wilcox didn’t want to have an extended conversation then and there, but said they could talk in the future.
RELATED: 'Mormon Studies' professors weigh in on Brad Wilcox remarks
“So we took this as an opportunity to start a conversation because it’s been very difficult to incite any change at BYU,” said Byrd. “It’s very difficult to have them make any changes regarding equity, inclusion, diversity, belonging, all of those things that should be essential to the university experience. So this is our opportunity to kind of create some change.”
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