St. Mary's Prof Faces Uncertain Future After Having Student Sing 'Old Man River'

A music professor at St. Mary's College in California has been punished after using the racially charged song "Old Man River" in class.

The Associated Press reports:

An African American student complained after Lebherz had a student sing the original version of the show tune "Old Man River," which refers to African Americans using a racial epithet, last month.

Lebherz, whose brother, Philip, is a college trustee, apologized for his "insensitivity" in a letter to the student.

According to the Contra Costa Times, the incident came at a sensitive time for the college, which has actively been trying to improve race relations after being scrutinized in 2008 for its lack of diversity.

Lebherz will undergo diversity training and his future at the school is being discussed, provost Beth Dobkin told the Times.

The student who filed the complaint, E.J. Youngblood, told the Times that he wishes Lebherz to be fired, but doesn't think that's going to happen "because his brother is on the board of trustees."

What do you think? Should Lebherz be axed? Or is the student overreacting?

Comments

[baybabe]

04:10 AM on 05/07/2010

I am currently a student at SMC and I know both E.J. and Professor Lebherz. The situation is so much more complicated then it is being portrayed in the news (I've read every article and watched the interviews). Most importantly, the song is not the focus. Personally I think the Lebherz missed an opportunity to create dialogue by providing the context, but still, the song isn't the issue; it's just what the news has talked most about.
E.J. from what i understand, was uncomfortable, voiced that and was told to "calm down." Yes students who were present disagree about what was actually said, but I believe that Lebherz has admitted saying things that E.J. claimed.
In my opinion, knowing both people involved, this was a BIG misunderstanding (for lack of a better word) in which a professor was unsensative to the effect his words might have on a minority student. I can see a professor thinking that he and the student are buddies and somehow the student will laugh about being called a gangster (still ridiculous). Never have I gotten the sense that Professor Lebherz is racist. He is new to the SMC community, this is his first year teaching here--possibly ever, in a classroom setting. So yes, sensitivity training would be beneficial. Firing the prof wouldn't solve anything, in my opinion. It would only satisfy a "need for blood."

[SMCGrad2009]

01:43 AM on 04/30/2010

I am a proud alumna of Saint Mary's College of California. I wear my GaelForce shirts around Washington, D.C. with pride, correspond with prospective students as part of the Alumni Admissions program, and enjoy supporting the Saint Mary's community in every way I can. During my time at Saint Mary’s, I loved being an Ambassador and volunteer for the Office of Admissions. I have always taken great joy in sharing the wonderful things about Saint Mary's College and acclaiming the value of its many programs and the opportunities SMC can offer to its students.

(continued...)

[SMCGrad2009]

01:43 AM on 04/30/2010

(continued...)

However, the events that have been occurring on campus recently have eroded the pedestal that I have placed Saint Mary's College upon. I speak, of course, of the slanderous allegations being made against Louis Lebherz, the Artist In Residence for the Performing Arts department. Mr. Lebherz is an asset to the Saint Mary’s community and I have never known him to hurt a student in any way. During my senior year at SMC, Louis spent countless hours coaching our cast of Sweeney Todd and, because he lacked a private office on campus, he opened his home to any and all of us. Louis Lebherz is the type of man who will listen to any student, share in their joys, offer to assist in times of struggle, and goes above and beyond to help each student he works with become the best that they can be. He is the kind of professor that we Ambassadors loved to boast about Saint Mary’s having—the dedicated, intelligent, and deeply caring ones who make our school a community.

(continued...)

[SMCGrad2009]

01:42 AM on 04/30/2010

(continued...)

The accusations being made against him are hurting the Saint Mary’s community. Forcing this man to say he did something wrong, attend “diversity training” and to reevaluate his position at the college—as mentioned in Brother Ronald’s e-mail to the Saint Mary’s community—is to punish the entirety of the campus for the wrongs of one. And that one is not Louis Lebherz. I am certain that he would never act with malice or racially attack any student, regardless of what a YouTube video or the media reports may say.

(continued...)

[SMCGrad2009]

01:41 AM on 04/30/2010

(continued...)

“Old Man River” is a heartbreaking song because it reflects on a shameful period of American history. However, if we remove this song from the curriculum at Saint Mary’s—and it is part of the curriculum for other courses, including the “History of American Musicals” and “American Literature”—the next step is to examine every other text that could offend someone. Do we dispose of Huckleberry Finn, The Merchant of Venice, and a majority of the Great Books which make up the Seminar curriculum. Art is intended to provoke, to incite passion and debate. As I learned at Saint Mary’s, it is through enlightened discussion that we are able to learn.

Look into your heart. Determine if Louis Lebherz is the racist and hate-mongering man that publicity hounds are portraying him as. Realize that Mr. Lebherz is a scapegoat for the angry students on campus. He is a man of character, a man of integrity. Saint Mary’s as an institution—and you as an individual—need do what is right. Apologize to Louis Lebherz and clear his name.

[chillwind]

01:06 AM on 04/30/2010

This song is a classic Broadway show tune from Showboat. If it was good enough for Paul Robeson (also a known civil rights activist) it certainly shouldn't cause such great offense to E.J. Youngblood. Expecting an apology from the music professor is ridiculous.

[fem56]

08:54 PM on 04/29/2010

Ol' Man River is a powerful song that expresses the times and pains so powerfully. Perhaps something happened that we didn't see but otherwise Mr. Youngblood needs to save his energy for real issues and quite trying to destroy the career of the good professor.

[Imhotep40]

12:52 AM on 04/30/2010

What basis of fact in this piece allows you to conclude that Lebherz is "the good professor"?

[Peets101]

07:41 PM on 04/28/2010

What was the context?
Was the song sung as a means to humiliate someone?
Was it used as an aid in teaching American History or some other subject?

Without this information, we cannot judge whether or not it was appropriate.

[GoldenPoppy]

09:33 PM on 04/28/2010

it was sung in an intermediate singing class. Every person in the class had a song to sing from the 40s/50s era. The student who sung it was a bass/baritone.

[yourcharactercounts]

03:24 PM on 04/28/2010

This is not EJ's first time to scream "racism" at St Mary's.
This professor is a good man with a good heart.
EJ has received lots of support and publicity for his claim. He is intent on destroying a good man's character. Perhaps he should re-evaluate his motives.
St Mary's College is so intent on being "politically correct" that it is willing to sacrifice anyone, faculty or student, to just make the complaint (grounded or not) go away. SMC get a backbone. Stand up for what is right.

[Imhotep40]

12:59 AM on 04/30/2010

Yeah and nepotism doesn't have anything to do with it either.

Caulk it up to "playing the race card", which all minorities do . . . just to get attention. Whether or not he was actually offended and humiliated (as the sole African American in the class) is irrelevant.

Tea Bag much?

[StarSpangled]

04:19 PM on 05/02/2010

really... wouldn't it be interesting to know who is really being the racist in all of this. It is clear that it wasn't the professor's motivation. And then if you want to discuss who's unconsciously being racist, well... that would also be an interesting clinical trial to run on the participants. Got a feelin' EJ working this one for a little more than global understanding and learning to get a long...

Maybe more tea bag than you know... as in uninformed, reactionary and making the point just to get on camera with not a whole lot of substance, all the while being unwilling to really dialogue and come to understanding.

[GoldenPoppy]

01:03 PM on 04/28/2010

I saw the full initial apology on facebook and am wondering why Mr. Youngblood did not respond to the professor's request to meet and start a dialogue about the incident and how he was feeling. It seems to me the professor made it clear he was sorry and wanted to learn from this experience and possibly enlighten not only himself but other students and faculty at St. Marys about the still very prevalent issues surrounding race (...and socio-economic class, sexuality and gender for that matter!). It is unfortunate the college, Mr. Youngblood and Mr. Lebherz never sat down face to face before this media storm began and drew a line in the sand.

[shadowgm]

07:32 AM on 04/28/2010

HuffPo didn't report the full story. It's not the SONG that Youngblood was criticizing; apparently, the teacher exhorted the student who was asked to sing it to 'channel his inner Negro' and then made a joke about Youngblood being a gangbanger. When Youngblood wrote to school administrators, he got no reply ... and took his complaint to YouTube.

[PlayTOE]

04:34 PM on 04/28/2010

link to references?

[frenchtwist]

03:53 AM on 04/28/2010

A beautiful song, a historical context, and an immature student with an ax to grind. Professors have to confront a lot of nonsense and tiptoe among the tulips these days. Calm down, open your minds a bit, students!

[Imhotep40]

01:11 AM on 04/30/2010

You obviously don't understand the song's meaning or "historical context". If you did, then you'd understand that Negro Spirituals, 'Old Man River' and the like sung by European Americans doesn't convey the same meaning or spiritual intent.

Maturity IS the very ability to decipher and respond emotionally to a musical piece on multiple levels, and not just tapping your foot to a catchy tune.

[Hayden22]

03:34 AM on 04/28/2010

The professor's reaction to this student (as described in the youtube clip) was wrong and embarrassing. At the same time, the student's complaint about the lyrics to Ol' Man River is off target. When Hammerstein and Kern composed it, their intent was to shock audiences with the n-word, to wake them up so they might pay attention. That's not to say the lyrics haven't been reworded numerous times, and understandably so--but, at a university, to insist on approaching them with solely an early 21st century viewpoint, and limited appreciation for their context or original intent, is disappointing. As disappointing is a professor who was apparently unfamiliar with or unable to articulate some of the song's background. Surprising, as well, given Showboat's place as a turning point in American theater.

[smcgaels21]

01:35 AM on 04/28/2010

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xXo_KWelZJs
This is E.J.'s video that he posted on the incident and hope that you guys can get a better understanding of the situation.

[VirginiaJeff]

12:36 AM on 04/28/2010

It's ironic that this comes about at the same time we've been made more conscious of the preciousness of Free Speech.

I would like a lot more context on the professor's use of this song than the story provides.