Last week, television host Mike Rowe spoke out against the recent anti-Semitic protests that have erupted on Ivy League college campuses, including Columbia University and Yale. Rowe, who is known for his work promoting trade schools through his mikeroweWORKS Foundation, took to Facebook to express his outrage at the actions of these protesters.
In his post, Rowe stated that he had not seen any reports of trade-school students "calling for the extermination of Jews," and used this as a reason to promote his foundation's work instead. He argued that parents should consider redirecting their financial support for the Ivy League towards programs like mikeroweWORKS, which aims to send young people to trade schools all over America.
At Columbia University, a group of protesters has been actively advocating for the eradication of Israel, with the university's president even implementing remote learning to keep Jewish students safe. One of the students affected by the protests stated that they were yelled at, told to go back to Poland, and threatened with violence. The protesters were also heard chanting slogans such as "Burn Tel Aviv to the ground" and "Go Hamas, we love you, we support your rockets, too."
For a guy who runs a foundation that sends young people to trade schools all over America – trade schools where I’m pleased to report, no one is calling for the extermination of Jews – today’s headlines are once again offering another excellent reason to consider redirecting…
— The Real Mike Rowe (@mikeroweworks) April 22, 2024
Rowe expressed shock and disbelief at the thought that the protesters had not been expelled from the university, despite their violent and hateful rhetoric. He criticized the university president for choosing to move students to remote learning rather than taking a hardline stance against the protesters. He argued that calling for murder should not fall under the protection of free speech and that these students should be expelled immediately.
The focus then shifted back to Rowe's foundation, as he emphasized the importance of providing support for trade schools and the essential work that their graduates do in keeping the country running. He highlighted that these careers cannot be taught or performed remotely, making them crucial during these times of remote learning and working.
Rowe also reminded his followers that his foundation is currently accepting applications for scholarships and donations. He emphasized that they have a strict selection process and use donations effectively and appropriately. He urged interested individuals to apply for a scholarship or donate to mikeroweWORKS at mikeroweWORKS.org.
This is not the first time Rowe has spoken out against the current state of higher education and the importance of trade schools. In 2017, he gave a testimony to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation on the skills gap in the United States and the need for more trade schools. He also frequently highlights the success stories of individuals who have pursued careers through trade schools.
Rowe's post on Facebook received a lot of attention and sparked a debate on the state of higher education and the increasing intolerance on college campuses. Many commenters expressed their support for Rowe's foundation and his efforts to promote trade schools. Others also voiced their concern and disappointment with the state of the Ivy League and its handling of these protests.