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AN INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER SERVING THE GW COMMUNITY SINCE 1904

The GW Hatchet

Serving the GW Community since 1904

The GW Hatchet

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LeBlanc misses deadline to respond to GW NAACP’s request for ‘next steps and goals’

GWs+chapter+of+the+NAACP+called+on+LeBlanc+earlier+this+month+to+release+a+second+public+statement+by+Feb.+11.
File Photo by Eric Lee
GW’s chapter of the NAACP called on LeBlanc earlier this month to release a second public statement by Feb. 11.

Two weeks after University President Thomas LeBlanc apologized for making an “insensitive” racial analogy, he has not accepted GW NAACP’s demands to issue an additional statement outlining next steps he intends to take.

GW NAACP called on LeBlanc to release a second public statement seven business days after the video surfaced – by Feb. 11 – that demonstrates his “understanding of the genuine pain” his comments caused and outlines the “next steps and goals” he plans to take. Quentin McHoes, the organization’s vice president, said LeBlanc agreed to make the additional statement in a meeting with students on Feb. 2, adding that he was frustrated by the president’s silence.

“We are deeply disappointed in President LeBlanc but not surprised,” McHoes said. “Unfortunately, with incidents like these, even when they involve the president of our University, we are never surprised.”

GW NAACP leaders also called on LeBlanc to expand GW’s diversity and inclusion education program, invite more black and brown speakers as part of the Presidential Distinguished Event Series, make the diversity and inclusion training module “more comprehensive” and elevate the role of students in top-level decision-making in the statement released two weeks ago.

“I think what the consensus of all of us said and thought was that we didn’t believe that President LeBlanc is racist,” McHoes said. “We believe he made a racially insensitive comment and used a very poor analogy.”

University spokeswoman Crystal Nosal said the president has “continued” to meet with members of the GW community “affected” by his remarks.

“He has apologized in one-on-one meetings, in group settings and in public forums, including at the open session of the Board of Trustees,” Nosal said. “He has underscored his profound regret for the pain and hurt he has caused and pledged to use this as an opportunity to learn and be better.”

She declined to say whether LeBlanc agreed to release a second statement. She also did not specify whether he met with students on Feb. 2.

Nosal declined to say if LeBlanc will take any of the other actions requested by GW NAACP.

McHoes said the group is working with Jordan West, the director of diversity and inclusion education, to make their concerns heard. He added that GW NAACP leaders plan to send a letter to the Board outlining the “numerous incidents” that have occurred on campus since LeBlanc arrived at the University in 2017 and how LeBlanc’s performance as president so far has conflicted with GW’s stated values.

McHoes said he intends for the letter to be “reviewed and discussed in the context of whether he should be able to continue on” serving as president.

“Our belief is that we will be able to professionally and respectfully outline a case for why the Board should heavily consider whether President LeBlanc is genuinely the leader that GW needs going forward,” he said.

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