According to a report by the College Fix, the University of Montana is facing criticism over its decision to name a white student as the winner of its Martin Luther King Jr. essay contest. The university has defended itself by criticizing those who have argued that white students should not be permitted to write essays promoting equality and justice.
There is another problem with the position of the university’s critics. Although the essays were reviewed by a panel of both white and black judges, only white students submitted essays.
Despite this, Facebook users were quick to criticize the University of Montana over the outcome of the essay contest. "If you tried to get more POC in Montana universities, this wouldn’t be a problem. Montana is incredibly hostile to non-whites," one Facebook user wrote. "People frequently mistook my older adopted child as our nanny, especially when we used her name ‐ Lupe. Montana is full of racists and confederate flag worshippers, and it’s time we talked about that."
In a statement posted to their Facebook page, the University of Montana defended the contest winner. The university argued that white students should not be precluded from honoring Martin Luther King Jr. or participating in the essay contest.