'Pyramid of White Supremacy' creates controversy at Salisbury University

Editor's note: A previous version of this report incorrectly named the interim provost at Salisbury University. Her name is Karen Olmstead.

Inspired by the dialogue that followed the white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, a graphic being taught in a Salisbury University classroom is making national headlines.

Though some criticize the controversial illustration, the professor behind it said Friday its content needed to be addressed in class.

The "Pyramid of White Supremacy" is a component of assistant professor Erin Stutelberg's Diversity and the Self class. It's a one-credit course required for students majoring in elementary education at the Maryland college.

Stutelberg said in a Friday statement to Delmarva Now that the violent Charlottesville rally took place as the course was being planned. She felt it needed to be brought up in class, but wanted to carefully do so.

She didn't want her students to think about white supremacy only "as men in robes or hoods or torches marching in streets" because it would give them the impression that it was separate from their lives.

"Instead, I want students to explore the ways that race and racism are part of all of our lives," Stutelberg said.

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The controversy started with a Wednesday report by Campus Reform, a self-described "watchdog to the nation's higher education system," in which the graphic was publicized. Campus Reform said Stutelberg did not respond to requests for comment.

The pyramid has seven levels, with indifference at the bottom followed by minimization, veiled racism, discrimination, calls for violence, violence and genocide at the top.

Under each level of the pyramid, individual bricks are listed, such as "not challenging racist jokes" under indifference and "school-to-prison pipeline" under discrimination.

A notation on the pyramid reads, "In a pyramid, every brick depends on the ones below it for support. If the bricks at the bottom are removed, the whole structure comes tumbling down."

One of Stutelberg's students, whose identity was withheld by Campus Reform, told the website that they thought it was "ridiculous" that "unjust police shootings" are near the top of the pyramid and that the course has been "extremely difficult" for anyone who's not liberal. The student was the only person quoted in the Campus Reform report.

The Salisbury University catalog states that the class "reviews theories and aspects of cultural competence most relevant to teaching in diverse classrooms," and "explores the ideals of freedom, democracy, justice, equality, equity and human dignity from the perspective of the individual." 

Diversity and the Self is one course in a series of three, which also includes Diversity and the Family and Diversity and the Community. They're taught by different professors on a rotating basis. 

It's meant to heighten students' sensitivity and awareness of diversity, according to the catalog, by having them examine various beliefs, attitudes, values and practices.

"This course might be one of the first times that the students have been asked to have difficult conversations about issues of race, social class, gender sexuality and disability and other things that we know they are going to encounter in their classrooms as future teachers," Stutelberg said.

Karen Olmstead, interim provost and senior vice president of Academic Affairs, said in a statement Thursday that the course was created because school districts asked for help preparing future teachers to support learning in diverse classrooms.

"At Salisbury University, we discuss difficult questions, delve into controversial topics, and serve as an important hub of ideas and diversity of thought," the statement reads.

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The illustration was just one of the many tools Stutelberg used, according to the statement, to spark discussion among her students.

Since the Campus Reform report published Wednesday evening, the "Pyramid of White Supremacy" has also made appearances in other news outlets, including on Fox News Insider, the Washington Times, the Daily Caller and TheBlaze. 

Initial reactions to the reports were negative, Stutelberg said, but she's started to receive a lot of support, particularly from school system representatives.

She's also received encouragement from students who took the class, none of whom she said ever complained directly to her.

"I've said I don't think there is anything unusual or unique about controversial images or materials being used in classes to stimulate thinking and discussion," she said. "This was one of several tools used."

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