Nathan Heller, the writer of the article, spends much time interviewing black students, but he only hints at what why the students feel the way they do. When elected, President Obama was a source of inspiration and hope to these students. They thought there would be beneficial change. But, the country was not ready to accept Obamacare, and the Tea Party and an invigorated Republican party resulted from it. Obamacare was the best thing that ever happened to the Republican party. It took control of Congress and most of the states. In Michigan, for example, public and private unions were very instrumental in raising the standard of living of blacks into the middle class. It became a right-to-work state, which weakened the unions and made them unattractive to workers. The bottom line is that Republicans want vouchers for education, and could not get that passed in Michigan. Instead, they provided for unlimited charter schools which can be owned by private companies and receive state funding. This is destroying many public schools. The private company takes 30% off the top, and leaves the rest for education. There are no unions and limited compensation and rights for the teachers in charter schools… Black students graduating from Oberlin could get public school teaching jobs paying $70,000 per year with a nice public pension and health care. Now, it’s $45,000 per year in a charter, and they can be fired at any time. This is on top of the Republican legislature and governor decreasing transfer payments to the black-controlled cities, which besides the real estate crash( and reduced tax revenue) led to emergency financial managers in cities like Flint and the bankruptcy of Detroit. Everyone knows about the poisoned water in black-majority Flint. Cuts were also made to unemployment compensation and welfare programs. There are moves to cut the food stamp program. Republicans are also opposed to the minimum wage. Many black citizens depends on these. Their standard of living is decreasing.
Given all of this, these black students lump Oberlin as just another racist, capitalist tool. They no longer think Oberlin is relevant, even if they are given financial aid to attend there. They are disappointed at what is happening, and want revolutionary change to occur possibly to end the capitalist system. Their statements show that they want to organize and be in solidarity with their communities. While they are at Oberlin, they want more programs and classes geared toward them. They want to be able engage in activism, be paid for it, and not suffer low grades because of their activities. Oberlin does not agree with this, but is trying to make it more relevant to them.
Oberlin believes in exposing its students to intellectual life, and in training its students to write, think, speak, and in becoming honored members of their communities. If this clashes with their revolutionary agenda, and they are not interested in being part of a learning community. then they should go elsewhere.