On June 3, Harvard officially withdrew Kyle Kashuv’s admission to the school on the grounds of “behavior that brings into question your honesty, maturity, or moral character.”
1/ THREAD: Harvard rescinded my acceptance.
Three months after being admitted to Harvard Class of 2023, Harvard has decided to rescind my admission over texts and comments made nearly two years ago, months prior to the shooting.
I have some thoughts. Here’s what happened.
— Kyle Kashuv (@KyleKashuv) June 17, 2019
The decision came in response to the surfacing of racist comments Kashuv had made—via text and google doc—to friends and classmates at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida when he was 16 years old, reported the Daily Wire.
After the emergence of the comments and texts, Kashuv issued a public apology referring to his earlier remarks as “idiotic,” and attempted to make clear that he is a different person now compared to who he was when he made the comments two years ago.
3/ After I issued this apology, speculative articles were written, my peers used the opportunity to attack me, and my life was once again reduced to a headline.
It sent me into one of the darkest spirals of my life.
— Kyle Kashuv (@KyleKashuv) June 17, 2019
The apology sparked a backlash of criticism and complaints, from both the media and from peers who oppose him politically. A Change.org page was set up, targeting Kashuv’s admittance into Harvard.
On May 24, Kashuv received a letter from the Dean of Admissions at Harvard, alerting him to their awareness of the recent controversy and requesting he send a written explanation of his actions.
5/ I responded to the letter with a full explanation, apology, and requested documents. pic.twitter.com/yWd6FeKWOJ
— Kyle Kashuv (@KyleKashuv) June 17, 2019
Kashuv responded with a letter of apology explaining his actions, and also contacted the office of diversity at Harvard to profess his willingness and commitment to resolving the issue.
Harvard later responded with the decision to rescind Kashuv’s admittance.
7/ Harvard decided to rescind my admission with the following letter. pic.twitter.com/P3bLkF3hHn
— Kyle Kashuv (@KyleKashuv) June 17, 2019
Kashuv, a survivor of the Parkland shooting—an incident that took place at the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School on Feb. 14, 2018, where former student Nikolas Cruz, 19, opened fire killing 17 students and staff members as well injuring 17 others—tried appealing Harvard’s decision, but to no avail.
9/ After receiving Harvard’s letter revoking my acceptance, I responded by asking for the opportunity to have an in-person meeting to make my case face to face and work towards any possible path of reconciliation.
Harvard responded by declining my meeting request. pic.twitter.com/rdsGU7BhjD
— Kyle Kashuv (@KyleKashuv) June 17, 2019
Kashuv recently posted a Twitter thread outlining his apology and the exchange with Harvard that followed.
One of the tweets read: “Throughout its history, Harvard’s faculty has included slave owners, segregationists, bigots, and antisemites. If Harvard is suggesting that growth isn’t possible and that our past defines our future, then Harvard is an inherently racist institution. But I don’t believe that.”
11/ Throughout its history, Harvard’s faculty has included slave owners, segregationists, bigots and antisemites. If Harvard is suggesting that growth isn’t possible and that our past defines our future, then Harvard is an inherently racist institution.
But I don’t believe that.
— Kyle Kashuv (@KyleKashuv) June 17, 2019
Another read: “I believe that institutions and people can grow. I’ve said that repeatedly. In the end, this isn’t about me, it’s about whether we live in a society in which forgiveness is possible or mistakes brand you as irredeemable, as Harvard has decided for me.”
Kashuv ended the thread by saying “I had given up huge scholarships in order to go to Harvard, and the deadline for accepting other college offers has ended. I’m exploring all options at the moment.”
13/ So what now? I’m figuring it out.
I had given up huge scholarships in order to go to Harvard, and the deadline for accepting other college offers has ended.
I’m exploring all options at the moment.
— Kyle Kashuv (@KyleKashuv) June 17, 2019
Prior to his initial admittance into Harvard, Kashuv reportedly scored 1550 on his SATs, ranked second in his class, had a GPA of 5.345, and an unweighted GPA of 3.9. He is also said to have helped establish school safety measures to protect other high school students.
