Critics lambaste MIT's vice president for equity and inclusion over 'race baiting' social media post

Critics are calling out Karl Reid — the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's new vice president for equity and inclusion — over comments he made on social media Sunday that critics are calling, among other things, "race baiting."

Here's the post:

"Just boarded an early morning flight wearing my @MIT gear. A seat mate looked at me and asked, 'Basketball?' I said, 'No. Engineering!' What about me prompted him to think I was playing or coaching basketball?" Reid asked in his post, which was accompanied by a what appears to be a selfie aboard the plane.

Reid's post has received, as of Monday afternoon, 7.7 million views, 29,000 likes, and 14,000 comments.

A good number of them, upon a cursory glance, didn't appear all that positive:

Image source: X

Reid did converse with some commenters. Here's one of those exchanges:

Image source: X

Here are a few other comments directed at Reid's post:

• "Maybe he was an MIT basketball fan and was looking for a commonality to start a conversation," another commenter wrote. "Nice try on the racebait though."
• "Bro, are you a musical instrument? Because you played yourself," another user said.
• 'It's good to immediately accuse people who are being friendly with you of racism," another commenter quipped. "Must be exhausting."
• "They may have been trying to start a conversation with a harmless question… Then you interpreted 'That’s racist!' from it," another user noted. "Yes. That’s on you."
• "This is why no one wants to talk to anyone lol," another commenter concluded.
• "[Because] March madness just happened, and it looks like an athletic fit? Nice try with the race bait though," another user wrote. "God forbid someone tries to find commonalities with a stranger."

Anything else?

MIT named Reid vice president for equity and inclusion in January, according to the school's website.

Here's Reid speaking at a recent MIT event:

Karl Reid presents lifetime achievement award to Clarence Williams at 50 anniversary MLK Celebrationyoutu.be

(H/T: Not the Bee)

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