In a CNN This Morning phase at present on the development of northern college students selecting Southern faculties, Boston Globe reporter Beth Teitell was reluctant to confess that one cause they accomplish that is to flee the leftist politics of Northern colleges.
To her credit score, host Audie Cornish did elevate the difficulty.
On her first attempt, Audie requested:
“Can I discuss in regards to the liberal arts a part of it? As a result of I perceive politics is coming into play. What are these college students saying about why they’re making this resolution?”
Teitell ducked it, claiming that college students selected the South as a result of throughout COVID, college students there have been in a position to reside comparatively regular lives, in comparison with the stricter shutdowns within the North. However that hasn’t made sense for a number of utility cycles, because the COVID shutdowns ended greater than 2.5 years in the past.
Audie tried once more: “Is it additionally simply making an attempt to get away from the tradition of liberal arts faculties?”
Teitell lastly admitted that “it positively may be,” however proceeded to condescend to such college students, saying that many need to get away from the protests up North and “they’re simply worrying about what sort of cute cowboy boots they will put on.” Teitell did not acknowledge that–cute boots aside–principled conservative college students need to escape the woke indoctrination mills up North. Are you able to name it “liberal arts” if colleges within the North do not do a “well-rounded schooling” nurturing “crucial considering”? Except you are considering critically of conservatives.
Teitell then shortly shifted to say that it is a “double-edged sword,” and that she had spoken to “One younger girl [who] had gone to College of Georgia and her downside was that the varsity had too many individuals from Georgia there.”
Sounds kinda bigoted, no?
Inevitably, race entered the dialog. Cornish instructed: “Once we take a look at these movies, particularly Rush Speak, the algorithm is serving up quite a lot of white college students. And I needed to know if we’re seeing comparable traits to, say, traditionally black faculties.”
Teitell agreed, that some black college students are headed south, maybe on account of household connections to black faculties, however then:
“There was some headline that stated, in Alabama, the White Tide [a play on Alabama’s “Crimson Tide”] rushes on, as a result of it’s a very white presentation if you look on Rush Speak, for certain.”
Teitell tried terribly exhausting to be ingratiating. Her massive grin (as seen within the screencap) remained there just about all through the phase. Teitell’s first phrases have been: “Thanks, Audie. I am so glad we’re having this dialog.” That was adopted by: “That is such query,” and “That is such an attention-grabbing query,” and “You recognize, that is an attention-grabbing query.” Sufficient already: simply reply the darn query!
On a private word, I went to Cornell, in upstate New York, the place I made a number of great associates for a lifetime. However in highschool, I used to be recruited by Davidson, in North Carolina, and typically surprise what my life would have been like had I gone there.
Here is the transcript.
CNN This Morning
12/9/25
6:20 am ETAUDIE CORNISH [after scenes of sexy rush dances air] Yep, moments like these, inflicting Northern college students to move South for faculty. Lecturers alone clearly aren’t promoting colleges anymore. It is the soccer, the nice and cozy climate, the Greek life, Rush Speak.
SOUTHERN COLLEGE STUDENT 1: Rush consists of 4 extremely aggressive rounds.
SOUTHERN COLLEGE STUDENT 2: Let’s be trustworthy, I most likely wouldn’t be going to Alabama if it didn’t blow up on TikTok.
CORNISH: Documentaries like Bama Rush have offered college-bound college students from the Northeast, dwelling to lots of the Ivy League establishments on this nation, to move south for time. The rise is staggering. For some colleges, like LSU, that has seen an almost 500%—I will say that once more—500% bounce in college students from the Northeast over the past decade.
So, becoming a member of me now could be Beth Teitell. She lately wrote about this rising development for the Boston Globe. Welcome to CNN This Morning.
Thanks, Audie. I am so glad we’re having this dialog. as a result of the development is so notable. You may be caught in Boston’s famed site visitors and the automobile in entrance of you or the one honking behind you truly has a bumper sticker on it that can say one thing like Clemson or LSU. It is a massive change.
CORNISH: It’s. And being from Boston, I do know there are smaller colleges folks used to go to within the Northeast. They value some huge cash. Can I simply get the cash query out first? Are folks going as a result of it is cheaper?
TEITELL: That is such query. It positively may be cheaper.
. . .
CORNISH: Can I discuss in regards to the liberal arts a part of it? As a result of I perceive politics is coming into play. What are these college students saying about why they’re making this resolution?
TEITELL: You recognize, that is such an attention-grabbing query. Loads of the school advisors I spoke with advised me that when this era was making use of to high schools, they have been truly in highschool. The pandemic was on. They have been sitting of their properties watching, and figuring out that their very own siblings who have been older have been of their dorm, in their very own bedrooms, going to school on-line. They usually’re watching on TikTok and seeing the children, the place quite a lot of the Southern colleges have been nonetheless partying. And, you understand, there is a soccer video games or there’s Rush Speak and that sort of stuff. So I believe it is truly making an enormous distinction.
CORNISH: Is it additionally simply making an attempt to get away from the cultural, tradition of liberal arts faculties?
TEITELL: You recognize, that is an attention-grabbing query. It positively may be. I imply, some simply noticed the extraordinary politicization that was, after all, lined in all media with quite a lot of protests and the whole lot. So some children are very fascinated with that. However for others, they needed to get away from it, to go someplace the place they are not protesting one thing. In reality, they’re simply worrying about what sort of cute cowboy boots they will put on.
Once I stated double-edged sword, although, what I meant was I’ve spoken to children and fogeys of children who truly went down South to get away from all this. They needed the social gathering vibe and the Greek life. After which they acquired down there and so they thought, oh, there’s an excessive amount of social gathering life, an excessive amount of Greek life. One younger girl had gone to College of Georgia and her downside was that the varsity had too many individuals from Georgia there.
So it might appear like quite a lot of enjoyable at a distance, however it is not likely for everyone.
CORNISH: Once we take a look at these movies, particularly Rush Speak, the algorithm is serving up quite a lot of white college students. And I needed to know if we’re seeing comparable traits to, say, traditionally black faculties.
TEITELL: You recognize, the New York Occasions reported that the traditionally black faculties and universities are seeing a rise in curiosity from a number of the nation’s prime expertise. Persons are going for household causes. They may have roots there or simply as a result of the schooling is superb. So you might be seeing black college students additionally happening South.
However with the Rush Speak, there may be the thought that, there was some headline that stated, in Alabama, the White Tide rushes on, as a result of it’s a very white presentation if you look on Rush Speak, for certain.
