Data is the only thing that separates advocacy from zealotry, and at Shaw University, the numbers are telling a much different story from a narrative being sold by a group of tradition-addled alumni and dissatisfied supporters to discredit the school and its new administration.

Shaw University Band Director Charles Brown’s conversation about students being ‘too overweight’ to participate on the university dance line.

From its leadership, to its programs, to its recruiting and marketing, there are few elements outside of black student unions which are exclusively created, staffed, strategically developed and cultured to welcome and embrace black students, or any racial minorities. And we falsely think that because civil rights is the law of the land, that it also should be or could be the law of the mind and heart for predominantly white campus culture everywhere.

The fortunate part of this story is that he wasn’t expelled from the university altogether for breaking such an important rule designed to keep students and staff safe. The unfortunate part is that he, along with a small group of other students and Twitter advocates, thought that his case would be a good one for media coverage and public sympathy.