Some of the statues that were vandalized in June. The recommendations now go to university president Greg Fenves, who is expected to act on them soon. No alternatives call for the removal of the statues from campus.
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A activity pressure of scholars, employees and alumni was created in June to debate the way forward for the Davis statue, in addition to statues of Accomplice generals Robert E. Lee and Albert Sidney Johnston, and Accomplice Postmaster Common John H. Reagan.
After reviewing the report, Fenves will make the final decision on the status of the statues.
“Statues have layers of meaning: aesthetic, historical, aspirational, and educational”. “The university’s approach to changing and replacing monuments on campus should be conservative but not uncritical”.
“I think in a hundred years this task force will be looked as something that was able to really push the university in a progressive direction”, Mandalapu said.
“It was a healthy discussion, it was an academic environment”. One recommendation proposes leaving the statues but adding explanatory plaques. “The panel noted this might continue to attract vandalism and could be considered “‘airing our dirty laundry’ in what is inescapably the most prominent part of campus – the place where graduation is held; this would be rather like engaging in vigorous self-criticism on the university’s home page”.
Mandalapu ran for office on the platform that he would get rid of the confederate statues.
UT spokesman J.B. Bird said there is no timetable for Fenves to decide what, if anything, to do with the statues, “but he would like to resolve it relatively quickly”. Three of the UT statues were tagged with graffiti following the attack.
Dr. Vincent said it’s a relief to finally present these options but said it’s not the end all answer to issues of racism and diversity on campus.
“These were erected at during a time of neo-Confederate ascension”, he said. There’s also an inscription saluting “the Confederacy and Southern patriotism, which swept the South during the early 1900s”.
UT master student Xene Sky supports removing the statues. Thirty-three percent were in favor of leaving the statues where they are.
Move all six statues, and the inscription to the west of Littlefield Fountain, to the Briscoe Center for American History, the Blanton Museum, the Texas Memorial Museum, the Harry Ransom Center, the Littlefield home, or an exhibit elsewhere on campus. Since then, backlash against Confederate symbols has been swift.
In Texas and other former Confederate states, there are numerous monuments and places named after Confederate leaders.
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ALLY MUTNICK reports for The Texas Tribune where this story was originally published.
