University of Wisconsin-Madison Associate Dean’s Controversial Remarks
An associate dean at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Percival Matthews, has openly labeled former President Donald Trump as a racist. He has also co-authored a paper claiming that the American educational system, including mathematics, is “inherently violent” toward black students.
Matthews, who serves as a professor of human development, expressed his views through a series of Facebook posts and research articles reviewed by Fox News Digital. In a post from January 2018, he criticized Trump’s history of racist statements and questioned what actions might be necessary when such a figure gains significant power.
He referenced Malcolm X, suggesting that many view him negatively, but argued that a deeper understanding of Malcolm’s speeches reveals frustrations rooted in a harsh reality. For Matthews, the context sheds light on broader societal issues.
In April, he took on the role of “special advisor for access and community,” aimed at fostering an inclusive environment at UW-Madison. He has addressed the issue of “violence” in educational settings as part of his responsibilities.
In a paper co-authored with Pooja Sidney from the University of Kentucky, Matthews argued that systemic inequalities prevent black students from accessing advanced math courses, despite meeting necessary achievement benchmarks. The paper highlights a stark contrast where privileged white students are often placed in advanced courses even when they don’t fulfill those standards.
Matthews questioned how black scholars can effectively engage with a system that he claims is fundamentally violent toward black children, even those who excel academically. His earlier Facebook post from 2020, in response to George Floyd’s death, touched on the concept of violence from different perspectives and raised provocative questions about societal reactions to unrest in Minneapolis.
In a recent statement, John Lucas, from UW-Madison’s public affairs office, emphasized the university’s commitment to freedom of expression and noted that they don’t comment on the personal social media accounts of their faculty and staff. The University of Kentucky also expressed that it protects academic freedom and will not comment on individual faculty members unless they represent the institution’s views.
Efforts to contact Matthews and Sidney for further commentary have been made by Fox News Digital.
