A psychology professor at the University of Texas at Austin (UT) has reportedly retracted her claim that “wealthy white men” are quicker to resort to violence and fail to exhibit empathy.
Citing an article from the Washington Free Beacon, Fox News reported that Dr. Kirsten Bradbury, who teaches in UT’s College of Liberal Arts, issued her personality psychology class a quiz that asked, “Which sociodemographic group is most likely to repeatedly violate the rights of others ...” with the alleged correct answer being “wealthy white men.”
Bradbury wrote the question as follows, "Antisocial Personality Disorder is a racist diagnosis in the way that it has been applied. It is also a sexist diagnosis, although to a much lesser extent."
"Neither race nor gender is determinative in Antisocial Personality Disorder," the quiz further explained. "However, if we must go there, which sociodemographic group is most likely to repeatedly violate the rights of others in a pattern of behavior that includes violence, deceit, irresponsibility and a lack of remorse? (Hint: They also happen to hold the most social power and because of that can get away with the most wrongdoing.)"
Per the report, students were to choose from several answers, which were "middle-class Latino families," "wealthy white men," "Asian men of all economic groups" and "female dentists."
The second response was purportedly the right answer, the Free Beacon reported.
After subsequently receiving pushback, Bradbury, who earned her doctorate from Virginia Tech (VT) in Blacksburg, Virginia, made an apology and deleted the question from the quiz.
Also citing the Free Beacon, Austin CBS affiliate KEYE reported that Bradbury informed her students afterward, “Given the current rate of sociocultural and scientific change, the quiz had grown too stale to use.”
The Texas Legislature has joined elected bodies in other predominantly Republican states in either filing or approving measures that seek to bar colleges and universities from espousing curricula or promoting ideologies that bear leftist leanings.
The Texas Tribune reported that the state Senate approved a bill on Wednesday that orders public universities to shutter their diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) offices.
A measure, Senate Bill (SB) 18, that online legislation database LegiScan said pertains “to tenure and employment status at public institutions of higher education” is presently making its way through the upper chamber.