Good evening, Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) sports fans.
We hope everyone is taking the appropriate protections regarding the Coronavirus (COVID-19). Wherever you are, please make sure you are staying staff – and taking protections for you and your family.
In person and institution we did not think is not taking adequate COVID-19 protections is Dr. Jerry Falwall, Jr. and by extension, Liberty University. Here is a passage from Liberty University’s press release featuring Dr. Jerry Fallwell, Jr.
On Friday morning, Liberty University President Jerry Falwell was interviewed on Fox News’ Fox & Friends in a segment about college campuses canceling classes due to COVID-19 (Coronavirus). He also addressed the student body via a taped interview shown in Convocation.
Fox News reported that over 100 colleges have canceled in-person classes and many are moving their classes online, a format Liberty has perfected as a pioneer in online education.
“We have 100,000 students studying online, only 15,000 on campus, so the majority of our student body is already off campus,” Falwell said in the live interview from a studio on Liberty’s campus. “But the 15,000 who are here, many of them have asked us, ‘Please do not cancel classes, don’t send us home to do online; we love it here, we want to stay.’ What we have done is eliminated any events that involve large crowds.”
As of Friday morning, Liberty was operating on a “normal” status, with students on Spring Break next week and returning for classes resuming March 23. (Visit Liberty’s COVID-19 Advisory website for updates.)
“We have talked to numerous medical professionals before we made this decision,” Falwell said. “Eliminating the large gatherings we think is a prudent move. In 1918, when the Spanish influenza came to America, cities that banned large crowds had much, much less spread than cities that didn’t, so we learned from that (history). We’re on Spring Break next week, so it’s all fluid — anything can change — but as of right now, that’s our plan.”
By now, you should know the risks of COVID-19 and being around large groups of people – and 15,000 bodies on campus is a lot of people. Virginia Governor, Ralph Northam, so concerned about COVID-19, that he moved to ban gatherings of 100 people. Falwell, Jr. you could tell was upset, but made modifications in response to the Governor’s order.
Things moved pretty fast now only in Virginia, but in the United States, on COVID-19, which is the most difficult health crisis our country has faced in many years. Northam was so concerned about COVID-19, he issued a statewide order banning gatherings of ten or more people. According to a report from the Richmond Times Dispatch, Northam had to plead for some common sense from Falwell, Jr:
Gov. Ralph Northam asked Liberty University President Jerry Falwell Jr. on Wednesday to reconsider his decision to welcome students back to the Lynchburg campus this week after their spring break.
Speaking at a news conference in Richmond, Northam criticized Liberty, which is among the nation’s largest and most prominent evangelical colleges, as sending “mixed messages” about COVID-19.
“We have heard too many mixed messages around the country about COVID-19, and this is yet another example. Our message has been clear and it will continue to be clear. Stay home unless you have to leave for essential reasons,” Northam said.
Asked whether he could close the school, Northam said he does not have the authority to do so. Northam issued an executive order banning gatherings of 10 people or more under the penalty of a misdemeanor, which he has said local governments can enforce.
“We appreciate our colleges and universities making accommodation for students with special cases. But that is very different from inviting students to leave their homes and come back to campus.”
As many colleges nationwide began announcing campus closures this month, Liberty initially planned to continue on-campus instruction. But last week, Liberty said it would transition most classes online effective Monday.
However, residential students were told they were “welcome” to return to campus, according to an email sent to students. The move was at odds with many other institutions of higher education, including the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, which has said only students who have “no other options” can remain on campus, and the College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, which closed its residence halls.
“I would suggest that President Falwell look to the actions of the leaders of Virginia’s flagship universities for how to set a strong example in this health crisis and to please reconsider his message that invites and encourages students to return to campus,” said Northam, who is a doctor.
According to this report from CNN, about 1,900 students returned to Liberty – and university officials prepared for about 5,000 students to return to campus.
It appears that Falwell, Jr. is relenting to a ban on ten-person events (but still complaining).
Personally, I thought it was horrendous of Falwell, Jr. to even consider reopening the Liberty University campus in the midst of a public health emergency. Why would you do this? Even though you’re a private college, why not try and be reasonable like the rest of your piers (public or private) in the Commonwealth of Virginia?
We’ve previously written about Liberty here at All Sports Discussion. I criticized Liberty’s hire of Ian McCaw. I criticized Virginia Tech when they scheduled Liberty University for a football series – and said that Virginia should have waited until the investigation into McCaw was over.
But now I’m tired of the antics of Jerry Falwell, Jr., and Liberty University (it is embarrassing to be associated with the Flames). I would love to see the Hokies find another football opponent (and let’s make all sports). End the series with Liberty. It’s too late to do this for the upcoming year – but future years can be scrapped.
Instead, Virginia Tech needs to add North Dakota State University (NDSU) to it’s football schedule. The NDSU game would fill every seat in Blacksburg – and the Hokies could likely get a favorable deal as NDSU is still an Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) school. Yes, NDSU is not your average FCS football opponent (they’ve one 7 of 8 FCS titles), but a game like this is also going to get television coverage (indeed). And Liberty won’t be on the damn schedule. Who gives a sh*t if it’s a difficult opponent 😉
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