Hey everyone, I’ve been lurking for a bit and trying to decide on playwriting programs and I’ve been hearing some awful things about the USC program and it sounds like it’s not healthy environment. I heard from some undergrads that black students were encouraged to whitewash their work to make it easier for the drama department to put on. And that a white student also frequently wrote plays with tons of racial slurs and stereotypes targeting other POC students and had them read it.
I’ve also heard that faculty have been inappropriate with students, like texting/calling/emailing them at unexpected times, sharing inappropriate personal info with them, screaming at them, not allowing them to speak during class, and using feedback as a weapon when they are angry with the students. It sounds like the admin of the school also don’t care what the faculty have done, so nothing happens or the students get punished for speaking out.
Has anyone else heard about this? Is this normal at other schools?