NEW HAVEN--As the racial controversy at Yale University continues, one Yale senior spoke to FOX 61 offering a different perspective.
Senior Ali Stephens-Pickeral said there are two sides to the issue, which was ignited after an alleged lack of inclusiveness.
"I think there's a lot of people who would agree with me but who are just very scared to speak out," said Stephens-Pickeral.
Stephens-Pickeral disagreed with an email sent out on October 27 by Yale Dean Burgwell Howard, which asked students to be mindful of their Halloween costumes choices.
Dean Howard's email was countered by a second email from Yale Master Nick Christakis and his wife, Associate Master Erika Christakis.
Stephens-Pickeral said she agreed with the Christakis's email and paraphrased it by saying, "It shouldn't be the administration's job to kind of regulate how or what we wear for Halloween. We're all adults and we can decide for ourselves what we should wear."
The email prompted one student to yell at Master Chrsitakis in a school courtyard. The incident was caught on cell phone video and posted online.
"I was mainly appalled at the fact that someone would think it's okay to speak to a Yale administrator like that," said Stephens-Pickeral, reacting to the video. "I would never dream of speaking to really anyone like that."
Stephens-Pickeral said students should be able to dress as they please on Halloween and speak their minds.
"My biggest issue is trying to shut down other people who have different opinions," said Stephens-Pickeral. "That's what I advocate for the most is freedom of speech."
She added that professors walk on eggshells when they teach so they don't offend students, and she believes censoring any viewpoints -- whether you agree with them or not -- is a bad idea, especially on a college campus.
"If students are pacified so much in college that they develop such a thin skin, then I don't think that's going to help them at all when they go out into the real world," said Stephens-Pickeral.
Yale President Peter Salovey said he will be announcing a clear plan of action before Thanksgiving.
