A 'disturbing trend': Duke president issues statement following coffee shop firing

Three days after two baristas were fired from a coffee shop on Duke University's campus, President Vincent Price issued a statement linking that clash of cultures - a Duke vice president was offended by rap lyrics playing over the coffeeshop sound system - to other recent racially-tinged incidents on campus, saying they illustrate a "disturbing trend."

Posted 9:38 p.m. May 10, 2018 — Updated 10:06 p.m. Jul 24, 2018

Natalie Matthews

, WRAL.com editor

DURHAM, N.C. — Three days after two baristas were fired from a coffee shop on Duke University's campus, President Vincent Price issued a statement linking that clash of cultures – a Duke vice president was offended by rap lyrics playing over the coffeeshop sound system – to other recent racially-tinged incidents on campus, saying they illustrate a "disturbing trend."

When we learn a racial slur has been scrawled on a dorm door, a social media posting has used abhorrent language, anti-Semitic posters have been distributed in Durham, or workers on our campus have been treated unfairly, we feel angry, discouraged, and disappointed. Duke should be a place where these things don’t happen. They are a painful reminder that we have more work to do to make our Duke community the dynamic, diverse and welcoming community of students, faculty, and staff we aspire it to be: a place where our daily challenges are grappling with a new concept, a new idea, or a new way of thinking – and not with how someone has behaved, or how we ourselves have behaved, that has caused others pain or hurt.

Something has to change.

I will simply say that I am deeply sorry that we are not where we want to be as a university. I am, in particular, sorry that the words of one of my senior administrators recently resulted in two individuals working for one of our on-campus vendors losing their jobs; and while I am pleased that the vendor has taken steps to reverse this action, I apologize for the precipitous and unfair treatment these employees experienced. We must do better.

We have somehow lost the sense of compassion and human tolerance that should define our community. This is reflected in the ways we interact with each other, the ways we hold ourselves and others accountable for our conduct, and in our words and deeds as scholars, students and employees.

At the same time, we cannot and will not succumb to a rush to judgment that demands instant retribution absent context and deliberation.

So where do we go from here? Having now completed my first academic year as president, I am reflecting on these problems of basic decency, and our legacies of racism, intolerance and xenophobia, that continue to follow us, and indeed all of society. They do not lend themselves to easy answers or quick fixes. But they will continue to plague us unless we address them directly, honestly, in good faith, and with a healthy dose of courage.

On Friday, Larry Moneta, vice president for student affairs at Duke, walked into Joe Van Gogh to purchase some items when he heard music lyrics playing from the speakers that he said were inappropriate.

"I expressed my objections to the staff with whom I’ve always had a cordial relationship," he said in a statement.

Moneta said he then contacted the director of Duke dining to express his concerns, and that was the end of his involvement.

The two employees working at the time were let go from their jobs on Monday.

Moneta went on to say that how the management at Joe Van Gogh, which is a contractor to Duke, responded to the employees' behavior was solely their decision.

Robbie Roberts, the shop's owner, issued a statement Wednesday apologizing to the people involved.

"We attempted to understand Duke’s position in this case, but we should have taken a different approach in making personnel decisions. As the owner of the business, I take full responsibility for Joe Van Gogh’s actions. I apologize to all of the people directly involved and those who have been touched or offended, of which there are many. We are taking steps to remedy this matter, but all company personnel issues are private and will remain private,” Roberts said in part.

The rapper whose song it was responded on Twitter, saying Moneta didn't care about anybody but himself.

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