Meet Zach Wood

There is good news at Williams College. It does not come courtesy of the college administration, of course, but rather by way of junior Zach Wood. As the leader of the Uncomfortable Learning speakers’ program, Wood is the keeper of a good idea about opening up the school to diversity of the intellectual variety.

Jennifer Kabanny told the story of Uncomfortable Learning in a 2014 article for the College Fix. Kabanny notes that the program has not received official sanction from the college and explains why. The “why” says it all.

Last year Zach had the gall to welcome Charles Murray to campus. As it turned out, Murray delivered on the premise of uncomfortable learning in his talk.

Wood wasn’t so lucky with John Derbyshire. Following Wood’s invitation to Derbyshire, the college interceded to ban Derbryshire from campus. Wood talked back in a column posted by the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE), which has supported Wood. He followed up with comments recorded by FIRE in the compelling 2016 video below.

I found the video yesterday via Charles Murray’s Twitter feed. Even though it’s a year old, I thought some readers might be interested in Zach Wood’s story. It certainly hasn’t diminished in relevance over the past year.

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