Controversy has erupted over White Student Unions Facebook pages popping up for Florida State University, University of Florida, University of Central Florida, and Florida International University.
The creation of an “Illini White Student Union” Facebook page that surfaced November 18 in response to a “Black Student Solidarity Rally” at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign was the first to gain national attention.
These “White Student Union” pages currently exist only as social media creations, and it is not clear whether they are created by students at their respective universities. It is also unclear if these groups plan to become actual student organizations on campus.
In their timelines, some pages post news articles critical of the Black Lives Matter movement, or stories that aim to debunk white privilege. Posts on these pages also include articles on racial controversies at other campuses or their own. Additional posts are on topics such as Europe and the European refugee crisis, political correctness, links to other “White Student Union” pages, and any articles written about themselves or other “White Student Union” pages.
Reports claim that the group was formed in response to Black Lives Matter protests, and their “explicit hostility to white students and white culture.” Authorities from UCF and FSU state the groups have no official school affiliations.
