Georgetown University students vote in favor of an increase in their tuition fees to pay for slavery-related reparations

gStudents from the University of Eorgetown have overwhelmingly voted in favor of an increase in their tuition fees to pay reparations to descendants of slaves formerly owned by the school. This decision comes as reparations are increasingly being discussed during the election campaign for the Democratic presidency of 2020.

The Georgetown University Students' Association organized the referendum this week, with students supporting the two-to-one measure. Fees would increase tuition fees in the country's oldest Catholic university by almost $ 28 per semester for each student. The money would go to a fund for the descendants of the 272 slaves that the Jesuits sold in 1838 to keep the university highly levered open.

The vote is not binding, however. The university management will make the final decision as to the desirability of setting up a mandatory fee for repairs.

"Many approaches allow our community to respond to the legacy of slavery," said Todd Olson, vice president of student affairs, in a statement. "This student referendum provides valuable information about student perspectives and will guide our ongoing commitment to students, faculty and staff, members of the descendent community and the Society of Jesus."

The reparations became a topic of debate in the race for the Democratic nomination for the presidency. At least four hopefuls of the White House – Julián Castro, Housing Secretary of the Obama era, Kamala Harris, California Senator, Elizabeth Warren, Senator from Massachusetts, and the former Texas Representative, Beto O & # Rourke – pay child support to descendants of slaves. The New Jersey senator, Cory Booker, made his way to his opponents for not doing enough to make reparations a reality.

The Vermont Independent Senator, Bernie Sanders, does not agree with this idea, saying that he would prefer to focus on the economic inequality that disadvantages African Americans.