Ryerson dragged on Twitter after congratulating Doug Ford
Ryerson University is coming under some heavy fire today after the school's official Twitter account congratulated Doug Ford on his election win.
"Ryerson congratulates @fordnation and the @OntarioPCParty for their election victory," reads a tweet sent from the account on Thursday night. "We look forward to partnering with your team to advance higher education in Ontario."
There's nothing offensive in the message itself. The language is wholesome and the tone very friendly.
Ryerson congratulates @fordnation and the @OntarioPCParty for their election victory. We look forward to partnering with your team to advance higher education in Ontario #onpoli #pcpo #ontariopc
— Ryerson University (@RyersonU) June 8, 2018
What people are taking issue with is who the message is from, and the assertion that all of Ryerson feels one way about the results of yesterday's vote.
Really? As a student, you do not speak for me. But what you say speaks volumes.
— Joy Henderson (@Joyhenderson78) June 8, 2018
"Are you actually serious?" wrote Ryerson alumnus and employee Jiwon Bang in response to the tweet last night. "I'm disappointed with this tweet. I understand Ryerson depends on government funding but also social justice is at the core of our organizational mandate. Have some backbone."
1/2 I'm not usually one to throw shade over Twitter but choosing to tweet this is disgraceful so I had to speak up. As a marginalized #Ryerson student with multiple intersecting identities you've said to me that I don't belong or deserve to be on campus by supporting @fordnation.
— Michelle Woolfrey (she/her) (@blindgirlinc) June 8, 2018
Dozens of students and alumni have now weighed in, many of them to say that the tweet is a mistake, a disaster, and a gross misrepresentation of Ryerson's values as an institution.
— a music project called v01d (@joebyer) June 8, 2018
"This is just shocking, overt (and disappointing) brown nosing from a respected institution," wrote one. "Poor."
"As a Ryerson alumni I'm disappointed to see you celebrating this way," wrote another. "Working with a governing party out of necessity is one thing, but compromising on the core values that our institution should uphold is certainly something else. Doug Ford degrades those values."
Ryerson, for its part, has yet to respond to any of the criticism lobbed its way.
Congratulations to @SaraSinghNDP, newly elected MPP For Brampton Centre.
— Ryerson University (@RyersonU) June 8, 2018
Interestingly enough, the university's Twitter account just pushed out two short tweets congratulating NDP MPPs who'd won in their ridings. Surely this will convince everyone to drop the whole Ford thing.
Hector Vasquez
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