Jody Bottum at FT:

College is time for learning things, and there have been several lessons taught by the accusations of rape made against the Duke University lacrosse players. The first is not to go to Duke.

The school that likes to pride itself as the premier university of the South has, in fact, proved itself something like a cruise ship for pampered young profligates—Naked Dancers!, the school’s promotional material ought to read, All-Night Bacchanalias! All-Day Satyricon!

Except that Duke is also a cruise ship staffed by angry anarchist professors and captained by an administration that will throw its student-passengers overboard at the least hint of a storm. For $46,050 a year (according to the university’s website), Duke will apparently grant you hot-and-cold running strippers, teachers who hate you, and an administration that trembles every time the wind blows.

Later, he notes that early-admission applications to Duke were down 20% this past fall. That’s substantial.

More from Beliefnet and our partners
Close Ad