Columbia University President Nemat “Minouche” Shafik criticized the literacy of faculty at the Ivy League school on Wednesday. She was asked about the spelling of the word “folks” as “f-o-l-x” and the use of “woke” vocabulary and definitions in Columbia School of Social Work classes.
Shafik was testifying before the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, which is investigating antisemitism in American universities. Rep. Jim Banks, R-Ind, questioned her about the spelling.
Banks, who didn’t attend an Ivy League school, asked why the word ‘folks’ is spelled ‘f-o-l-x’ in the guidebook and in other places at the School of Social Work.“What does that mean?”
Shafik suggested, “They don’t know how to spell?” and added, “I’m not familiar with that spelling.”
“I don’t find it a laughing matter,” Banks said.
“I’m not laughing either,” Shafik replied. “I think it’s— I really don’t—”
“You’re denying that this is a official product of the school,” Banks said. “But … you are aware that this is handed out to all of your students, and you’re not doing anything to stop it.”
“As I said, it’s not an official product of the administration,” Shafik said.
“Is this how Columbia University spells the word ‘folks’?” Banks clarified.
“No,” Shafik replied.
The term “folx” spelled with an “x” rather than a “ks,” is a far-left language manipulation to “explicitly signal the inclusion of groups commonly marginalized,” according to Merriam-Webster. In other words, it takes a word with a fixed meaning and distorts it to signal allegiance to the left’s “diversity, equity, and inclusion” framework. according to Merriam-Webster. In other words, it takes a word with a fixed meaning and distorts it to signal fealty to the left’s “diversity, equity, and inclusion” framework.
Banks also asked Shafik to define “Ashkenormativity,” another unusual term in the guidebook.
“I’m not familiar with that term,” Shafik said. “I believe it appeared in a student glossary.”
“It appears in the orientation guidebook that’s given to all of the students at the School of Social Work, but you can’t define it for us?” Banks said. “You seem to be familiar.”
“I don’t use that term. I don’t know that term,” Shafik said. “I don’t think it’s a product of the School of Social Work.”
Banks read the definition of “Ashkenormativity” from the handbook, which said its “a system of oppression that favors white Jewish ‘folx,’ based on the assumption that all Jewish ‘folx’ are Ashkenazi, or from Western Europe.”
“Is that appropriate?” Banks added.
“I don’t agree with it. I don’t think it’s very useful,” the university president said, trying to distance herself from the materials distributed to Columbia students under her leadership.
Shafik’s testimony comes after a trio of other elite university presidents refusing to strongly condemn antisemitism during a congressional hearing in December. Their surprising responses and public criticism resulted in the removal of two of the three who had appeared on Capitol Hill. The hearing, which featured presidents from Harvard, the University of Pennsylvania, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), was held just two months after the Oct. 7 attack on Israel, when some 1,300 were killed by the Iranian terrorist group Hamas. As Israel started to respond to the attacks, supporters of terrorists showed solidarity solidarity with Hamas, and people with hostility towards Jewish people on college grounds in particular started advocating for the extermination of Jewish people.
After the three presidents sparked controversy at the December hearing, the four leaders from Columbia University who appeared before lawmakers this week tried to avoid the same performance.
“Does advocating for the extermination of Jews go against Columbia’s rules of behavior?” asked Rep. Suzanne Bonamici, D-Ore.
Each of the four representatives from the university, including Shafik, said, “Yes, it does.”
Shafik also emphasized that since the October terrorist attack, university officials have taken “more disciplinary actions than have been taken probably in the last decade at Columbia.”
On the same day of the House hearing, anti-Jewish demonstrations broke out on the university’s Manhattan campus.
