The University of California considers statements such as “America is the land of opportunity” and “everyone can succeed in this society, if they work hard enough” to be microaggressions [1] that faculty should avoid.
Source: Bloomberg/Koch opinion piece on free speech on college campuses. WSJ 5-13-16
Is this the kind of “free” education we want?
I’m betting you and I can find many members of every group in America for which the above statements are true, including a few hundred million “marginalized” immigrants in the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries (like my ancestors).
[1] Microaggressions are the everyday verbal, nonverbal, and environmental slights, snubs, or insults, whether intentional or unintentional, which communicate hostile, derogatory, or negative messages to target persons based solely upon their marginalized group membership.
QUINNSCOMMENTARY 
I fail to see how “hard work” or “succeeding” is hostile, derogatory or negative unless you want something for nothing. “America is the land of opportunity” could send a negative message if you are North Korean about Korea but not toward Americans.
But what really bothers me is that a university considers hard work a negative. I never consider the University of California a diploma mill but what kind of students are they producing with a policy like this? Do student have to do any work in class or can they opt out because “it’s too hard”? I went to UC given me what I want just because?
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