The Citadel is a second-tier military academy attended by second-tier people. Most graduates will never enter the military, unlike the US service academies like West Point and Annapolis. It has the same connection to the military that just about any other four-year accredited college has in this country. The first black cadet entered West Point in 1873, while the first black cadet didn't enter the Citadel until 1966 I believe. The first woman entered West Point in 1976, while Shannon Faulkner entered the Citadel in 1994, and Nancy Mace two years later. As far as I know, all the federal service academies admitted blacks and women before the Citadel or VMI did. Remember also that the Citadel is a public university, so they don't have the right to discriminate against sex, race or religion. Norwich University, a private military college in Vermont, can theoretically discriminate all they want yet they admitted women before the Citadel did. I was sickened by the sight of all those cadets happily celebrating when Shannon Faulkner left, thought it was rather disgusting. For those who say, too bad, she just couldn't hack it, well remember all the other plebes weren't going through a lawsuit at the same time and Shannon Faulkner shouldn't have had to sue the school to attend.
@lindseysummers5351
3 жыл бұрын
The entire Charleston community and, indeed, most of South Carolina was opposed to Shannon Faulkner's entry to The Citadel. The radio stations were playing songs jeering her efforts, she was catcalled on and off-campus, and was isolated because much of the student body and the faculty wanted nothing to do with her. From what I have read, she was physically accosted and verbally threatened the weekend before she entered the Corps of Cadets. Her collapse occurred after she recognized that voice in campus.
@smg1754.
3 жыл бұрын
Women first began attending The Citadel in 1949 as part of a summer school program, and were admitted to evening classes in 1966...
@caj1119
3 жыл бұрын
@@smg1754. Perfectly fine, but if the state tells them they have to admit women to the full-time program, as a state school, they are required to do so and there really shouldn't be any question about it. It is a public institution and should never have been able to discriminate against who gets admitted to the full-time program. Totally appalling the way they treated Shannon Faulkner. I just don't understand how people could be that way - not just immature college-age students but grown adults as well.
@smg1754.
3 жыл бұрын
@caj11 1 Everyone gets treated like crap there in their first year; regardless of gender or race you need to put in your lumps, and ofcourse if you're unable to fulfill the physical or knob knowledge requirements you will be singled out (like everyone else who can't) until you can do so. During a meeting with the Citadel Alumni Association I got to meet someone who was matriculating at the same time as Shannon Faulkner; it could've been bias but he stated that he didn't observe any harassment (mental, physical, or sexual) aimed at her that wasn't already being put upon everyone else who wasn't keeping up during Hell Week; if she showed up in better shape or with more hours or reading put into her Guidon she would've succeeded for sure. I do agree with you when it comes to keeping women and minorities from attending in the corps for so long, but The Citadel is light-years from those days; the current Provost and Dean of the college is Dr. Sally Selden, and the current Regimental Commander is Cadet Colonel Kathryn M. Christmas, both of which are females who are extremely disciplined and fufill their positions as good as or better than any man could.
@caj1119
3 жыл бұрын
@@smg1754. I understand that the first-year cadets at any military academy are treated like crap by the upperclassman, that's the nature of those institutions. What I don't think is acceptable is that Shannon having to fight a court battle to go there in the first place, and being harassed by people outside the Citadel, i.e. alumni and parents of existing students. If she had just been admitted like any other student, perhaps she would have survived the cadet training. There was one mother of a cadet who made up pins and buttons that said "Save the Males" and distributed them to students at the gate and to other parents. Another parent (don't know if it was a mother or father) who made up a t-shirt that said "2000 Bulldogs and One Bitch", also distributed to students and parents. These were full-grown adults (not immature college-age students) who really had no right to be interfering with Shannon attending the Citadel. There were other people who were not students or faculty of the school who harassed and threatened her as well, who deserve nothing but shame for their actions. Yes, Shannon would no doubt have to endure a lot of degrading treatment as a knob from upperclassman, who could treat her like crap all they wanted as long as they were doing the same thing to other cadets, which sounds like it was the case. What is appalling is the way so many non-students of the Citadel treated her and what she went through with the court case which I think is at least partly to blame for her dropping out in a week and not acceptable in any way (whether she would have made it even without all that happening, I don't know but her chances would have been better). That said, it does sound like the Citadel has made a lot of progress over the years and is moving in the right direction.
@perkinsvalentine
4 жыл бұрын
Shannon was a joke - not for trying to get in, but for looking like a desperate attention seeker who embarrassed every equal right proponent in this country. I was young and yucked it up with everyone else - when after making a federal case she quite literally fell on her face. She was barely in shape for a public school gym class much less "Hell Week" at The Citadel. No one even mentions she didn't have to work at the same level as the cadets, there was a double standard and that's what pissed people off. So many women have been a much better example (Nancy Mace) yet have the humility not to self promote, while she carries herself off as the Rosa Parks of 80's. Not on my watch.
@gameshowguy2000
4 жыл бұрын
Really? You need to know Faulkner made history as the first to enroll in the Citadel, even if she didn't graduate. If you can't give her credit THERE, I don't know what to say. Really, I don't.
@bonkjuice
4 жыл бұрын
that’s cute. she literally faced death threats for attending. could you imagine being a teenager and having to deal with actual death threats against your family and yourself? she faced so much disdain from her peers and from her commanders/instructors. she had to be guarded by federal marshals as she walked onto campus in order to keep her safe. she fought through all of that for a year and a half and then chose to leave the academy for her own safety and mental health. while she may not have graduated, she was a trailblazer and fought very hard for her right to be there. she has every right to be proud of herself.
@Malkmusianful
Ай бұрын
yo, mang, how's the dinners during Ten meetings? been meeting to attend one, you know, get my class ring, push a few knobs over to VMI or North Georgia by the way I'm being sarcastic
@dahawk8574
5 жыл бұрын
Nancy Mace's response is deeply saddening. Her position is akin to this... Imagine a WWII soldier who on D-Day was on the first landing craft to arrive at Normandy. This person got shot in the head immediately upon leaving the landing craft while still in the ocean, and never made it to dry land. Years later, the family of this soldier says how their relative was a D-Day veteran having stormed the beaches of Normandy. There is a Private N. Mace who then interjects: "Your beloved soldier never made it to the beach. I wear the ring of those who made it, and you don't deserve this ring." Pvt N. Mace speaks so proudly because their bravery involved being onboard the second wave of landing craft. All these decades later, shows no appreciation for the sacrifice of those who died in that first wave. And btw, Pvt N. Mace is the offspring of General Eisenhower. Pvt Mace makes no recognition of the fact of all the special advantages this came with, which that soldier who died in the first wave did not have. Let alone the battle they fought which preceded D-Day. That legal battle which was taken all the way up to the US Supreme Court to give this soldier the right to be in that first wave. If I was running The Citadel, I would push for a ruling where Shannon Faulkner was made an Honorary Graduate. A strong argument can be made that what she accomplished was far greater than anything Nancy Mace ever did to become a Citadel grad. And also every single other Citadel grad who preceded her. Except for perhaps that first black cadet. What Shannon Faulkner did was comparable to his accomplishment. No matter whether he graduated, or ended up leaving after one day. It is a travesty to downplay the role of those who were first to approach the beaches of Normandy. It does not matter whether they made it onto the beach. It does not matter if they made it all the way to Berlin. Their role was vital in securing this beachhead. No one should ever forget what Shannon Faulkner did. Especially not Nancy Mace. Yes, Mace. You do have a point of technicality that Faulkner did not graduate. She did not earn a ring. Instead of criticizing her, you have the option to push for legislation so that South Carolina can make amends for the horrible things they did to her. You can insist that The Citadel MAKES her a graduate, in honorary form. And that The Citadel gives her a ring. You could even give her your own. That's what I would do with my ring. And every other graduate from that institution can offer to give her theirs, until the school official recognizes what she did. Or more to the point, apologizes for what they did to her. And the ring would be the smallest of tokens of reparation. Citadel graduate Pat Conroy had a strong sense of decency. He paid for Shannon's subsequent education. About the author: A graduate of a military academy in the USA. Not the Citadel. But one further to the west. And while attending this academy, visited with his old school friend who was a cadet at the Citadel.
@lindseysummers5351
4 жыл бұрын
I don't believe I could have said it any better. Well done!!
@charlesboardman8131
4 жыл бұрын
Faulkner didn’t prepare adequately to be consider on the first boat. She was a wash out and in no way compares to the talent heroes of Normandy
@tehepicness12sauce
4 жыл бұрын
Yeah bro Shannon Faulkner totally accomplished way more than any name in the war memorial. Staying for half a day before spending the rest of her time in the infirmary before she could run with her tail between her legs. So brave 😍
@dahawk8574
4 жыл бұрын
@@tehepicness12sauce, I did _not_ say that Shannon Faulkner did more than any Citadel grad did _after_ they had graduated, let alone those who ended up on the war memorial. The D-Day comparison was an _analogy._ And here is the exact quote from my post above: "A strong argument can be made that what she accomplished was far greater than anything Nancy Mace ever did to become a Citadel grad. And also every single other Citadel grad who preceded her." Careful reading will find the words "...to become a Citadel grad." What this means is that I was comparing accomplishments done _while a cadet._ And yes, what she did was AMAZINGLY brave. That level of valor was achieved the very moment she showed up. Let alone what she accomplished in the remainder of her time. As the First Cadette.
@tehepicness12sauce
4 жыл бұрын
@@dahawk8574 , you were comparing Faulkner's and Mace's experiences at the school to men *storming the beaches of Normandy.* You wrote such a poor analogy that you might as well have done. If you think what she did was actually brave, then I'm sorry to tell you that you're a grade-A simp. If you understood anything about the school then you'd know that you would have to make it through Hell Week first to become a cadet. Until you take the oath, you're only a recruit. She didn't even make it through _a single day_ before she quit. Not only did she waste the time of the legal teams who battled to get her into the school (along with everyone else involved), but she couldn't even commit to her cause once she finally got her way. Faulkner is a complete joke, and doesn't deserve an ounce of respect.
@socksal
3 жыл бұрын
Her mother, Sandra Faulkner, was my teacher in High Scool. She was an arrogant bully.
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