BET’s new drama, ‘TheQuad,’ has caused many officials from historically black colleges and universities to express their feelings about the show’s representation of HBCUs.
The President of Hampton University, William R. Harvey, expressed his complaints in a letter written to BET President Debra Lee. Among Harvey’s complaints were the misrepresentation of HBCU leadership, and student culture.
In the letter Harvey stated, “The Quad will lead many to believe that HBCUs exist because of their marching bands; that our presidents are unethical; that our boards are dysfunctional and have misplaced priorities; that our faculty, students and administrators are driven by sex, alcohol, marijuana, low self-esteem, parties and a preoccupation with music; that it is acceptable to disrespect women; that university policy can be set by a band director; and that there are no standards of conduct or penalties for bad behavior. This depiction seems more analogous to a disgruntled, adolescent and unrealistic point of view that some may have. It also feeds a false narrative about the irrelevance of HBCUs.”
Actors of the show defended ‘The Quad’ saying it is a “human” show that just so happens to take place at an HBCU. Read the full letter written by Harvey, and more on the story here.
