Staff Reports
Andrea Smith, a former ethnic studies professor at the University of California, Riverside, is stepping down amid allegations of falsely claiming Cherokee heritage. But don’t worry, she still gets to keep her position as an educator until 2024 and will even receive retirement benefits and the fancy title of professor emeritus. Talk about a golden parachute!
According to reports, Smith has agreed not to make any claims about her Native American background while working at the university. However, if someone asks her about it, she’s totally allowed to share her “opinion” on her heritage. Because apparently, opinions are now facts.
Oh, and get this: not only does she get to walk away with her reputation intact, but the university is also giving her a nice little parting gift of $5,000 to cover her legal costs. How generous of them! It’s almost like they’re rewarding her for getting caught in a lie.
— Les Samuelson (@LesSamuelson1) August 29, 2023
But wait, it gets even better. Despite the allegations against her, no formal investigation has taken place, and no findings have been made. So, it’s basically a he-said-she-said situation. But hey, who needs evidence when you can just deny and dispute allegations?
This whole situation highlights a bigger problem: the issue of “identity-policing.” Smith has always claimed to be Cherokee and has identified herself as such. But according to the Cherokee Indian Center, having Cherokee ancestry and being a registered member of the tribe are not the same thing. So, basically, Smith could be pulling a Rachel Dolezal on us.
It’s a shame that someone would lie about their heritage just to gain some sort of advantage or special treatment. But it’s even more shameful that the university is letting her off the hook and even rewarding her for it. This kind of behavior should not be tolerated, and Smith should face the consequences of her actions. And let’s hope this serves as a lesson for others who may be thinking about faking their heritage for personal gain.
