The prestigious Boston music school, Berklee College of Music, has been found guilty of “wrongdoing” amid the George Floyd protests. They let Boston police officers into the Berklee Performance Center to use their restrooms Sunday night after the State House protests. And yup…that’s about it. Doesn’t take much to anger people these days.
The march in Boston called to end police brutality and protest racism but their focus was more towards the anger of letting city police through campus doors to simply use the restroom. Top Administrator – including President Roger H. Brown – even wrote and signed a letter to the Berklee community apologizing for letting police officers use their restrooms because people had felt so betrayed by the school. People felt that allowing police officers into that space was undermining Berklee’s support for the Black Lives Matter movement. Where does it end?
Boston Police staged officers at various intersections throughout the city. Berklee Public Safety allowed officers access to restroom facilities in the Berklee Performance Center. The police had jurisdiction over the roads and public spaces around the campus.
“The decision to allow them into our facilities was ours. This was not a formal decision by the institution, but an informal one, made on the spot. Some have asked if the campus was used to house or stage activity of the Boston Police; it was not.” The letter states.
It concludes with the following: “We understand that many members of our community feel betrayed. We are deeply sorry for the impact this had on our community and for perpetuating feelings of oppression, silencing, and marginalization. We will make a more concerted effort to consider the effects of our actions. Let us assure you, this should not have happened, and going forward, it will not happen again.”
The responses following the letter were filled with outrage but not to their actions of letting cops into the bathroom. The outrage was for apologizing in the first place. This has been a ridiculous overreach by school administration. Many of the comments are filled with anger that the police are there to protect their property, as well as the rest of the city, and they can’t even use the bathrooms. I feel bad that the school even gave an answer to the clowns who felt so utterly “betrayed” by police officers using the bathrooms. We thought Berklee was better than this.
“Law enforcement is essential for keeping our students, our children, safe in the city. And I’m grateful you showed them kindness. I’m disappointed however, that you promise ‘never again’ to show such kindness. How sad you should give in to bullies this way. I’ll remember to say ‘never again; when you ask for a donation,” One of the comments on the thread read.
The police stationed at that same intersection were the same there for every Boston Marathon run, including in 2013 when they cared for the injured, got people safely out of the area, and helped the FBI find the bombers in just four days.
Letting the police use the facilities doesn’t make Berklee a hero, but refusing to let them use the facilities makes the entire situation absolutely ludicrous.
