This is a bit remarkable and surprising that these college athletes have put their scholarships at risk. Most athletes are decidedly apathetic when it comes to societal issues or really any off-the-field campus issues. I think their parents might have a real crisis of conscience supporting their sons at U of Missouri if they fear that their child’s scholarship will be revoked. We’re talking about big money if the boycott forces the university to forfeit the game; one MILLION dollars, reports indicate. For a the loss of a million dollars, I can certainly envision that the administration might punish the players. The faculty has threatened to walk out of classes today and tomorrow, but those guys and gals have tenure. Even the non-tenured faculty may have contractual guarantees that protect them from summarily being fired. Whether you agree with their stand or not, the players have the courage of their convictions.
I don’t know the details, but I do hope that the University takes clear and specific steps this week to address the issue of racism on campus, whether the President steps down or not.
Yahoo Sports report on the events at UM. I am sure many other news services have stories about it from the weekend.
I think that each kid has to make his own decision, and I doubt that I would advise mine one way or the other. I might remind him of what is at risk, but at some level it is a personal decision. I somehow doubt the school will pull 30 scholarships. Particularly since the head coach is supporting the players.
And I don’t think it is correct to say that athletes are apathetic when it comes to off field campus issues. I think it is maybe more likely that the types of individuals who participate in athletics at that level are less inclined to get excised over Halloween costumes or “micro aggressions”. There is a long history of athletes being involved in racial justice issues though. In addition, most will know that they are targets of certain groups and individuals on campus seeking publicity, and they will have seen what happens when one of their number does get in trouble, so they are likely conditioned to keep their heads down.
I don’t think the president should resign because the football players refuse to play. There. I said it. No good will come from a resignation at this point. This guy had his car surrounded by students and he is being criticized for not getting out to talk to the students. I would not have gotten out of my car either if surrounded by a mob. As for taking action against scholarship athletes, it’s a deal between the students and the school to play football for a scholarship. They don’t have to play, but have to be willing to accept the outcome. And the $1 million penalty would come out of the football budget.
I have no patience for social justice based on what I see to be blackmail focused on one person. The civil rights movement was largely successful by a willingness to take some personal sacrifice that had a collectively huge impact. What if no one bought football tickets or went to the game?
Ohiodad51, I believe that activist college athletes are the exception rather than the rule, as is true of most college students. I always admired Ralph Sampson for taking a stand with black students at U of Virginia back in the day, even after the athletic department advised against it. Robert Smith of Ohio State stood up for himself and by doing so pointed out that things weren’t so hunky-dory for athletes or students generally during his time at OSU. These guys tend to be the exception. And I won’t chastise athletes who “keep their heads down,” given that typically they have little leverage. I think that the players at Northwestern University were inoculated from punishment, largely because their actions were protected by NLRB regulations.
^^^This. There is ZERO chances that the school will pull these scholarships over missing one game. The season is already shot, and MU athletics has to think about recruiting and the future. The BYU game matters not at all (even with a $1 Million penalty), if it did (and a SEC title was a risk), the players likely would have found another way to support their fellow students.
I have no problem with the players protesting, but holding the football program hostage is a huge foul. There are hundreds if not more people whose livelihood is tied to the athletic program, and the players’ right to protest doesn’t trump those people’s right to make a living.
If Mizzou truly has a history of racial issues, then those problems existed long before these players came to the university. They made a choice and a commitment to play football for the school in exchange for an opportunity to get an education, and if they choose to not hold up their end of the bargain then I absolutely think their scholarships should be pulled.
I don’t get what they are protesting about. I read a lengthy article about this. There were three incidents that the players and others are saying show a racist attitude on campus. Two were unsubstantiated accusations that racial epithets were shouted at them. By unsubstantiated I mean that one student made each claim, no other witnesses apparently. And there is no proof that if the epithets were shouted that they were shouted by another UM student. So who exactly is the UM president supposed to punish?
Then there was the swastika in human feces drawn in a student bathroom. Again, unless DNA testing is done on the specimen, who did it and why is unknown. It could have been a prank with no meaning, it could have been anti-Semitic (the usual conclusion when a swastika is drawn) or it could have been a set-up (something done by a black student to create an incident).
What exactly is a university president supposed to do. He’s already said that racism will not be tolerated.
The protestors win.
The reports from the press conference a few moments ago are confusing. The official who resigned; was it the university system Chancellor or the Columbia campus President?
It was the president of the university system, Tim Wolfe. His title is a little confusing, but this is the guy they were after.
I agree with @TatinG …what exact action should be taken? If there are no leads to follow up in each of the 3 incidents, what do the protestors want? And how is demanding the resignation of a administrator who had no power to stop these random acts of racism justified?
I wish racism didn’t exist, and I think there are positive steps that can be taken by the administration over time to encourage diversity and inclusion on campus. The students themselves have more power to make a difference in the daily routines and the atmosphere in classrooms and dorm rooms than any administrator.
I don’t think the protesting or the him resigning was the answer.
Yes, the students have a responsibility to act, if they want changes. As for Wolfe, a professor who wanted him gone nevertheless made a good point about his role in the situation at UM-Columbia, to paraphrase her: ‘to be fair, the university system president doesn’t have a large role in the operations of the system campuses.’
OK, if that’s the case then I am not certain what his resignation accomplishes about the specific matter of racial antagonism on the Columbia campus. I mean, what about the campus president? Where is he in all this?
The fact that the (former) president is “caught off guard” (his words) when being questioned about race – at the flagship campus an hour away from Furguson – doesn’t instill any confidence that he could step up to these challenges. Good for these football players for raising the stakes and getting national eyes on this.
I just hope that the criticism of Wolfe regarding racism isn’t simply cover for other complaints that are not relevant to the players’ concerns. For example, graduate student health insurance? Is that a civil rights issue?
LakeWaswhington-
What I am reading says the University president is resigning.
This is the tail wagging the dog. Much of the uproar around the UM president has been for non-racial issues such as funding for planned parenthood and grad student salaries/working conditions. Besides, if a drunk guy yells racial epitaphs, why is that the fault of the president of the university system?
In my opinion the football players did what they felt they had to do. Often grammatical action is needed to make a point and draw attention.
The American colonists were subject to British law. Should the Boston tea party never have occurred? Perhaps we should have negotiated independence?
I respect these kids for putting their educations at stake on behalf of all the students. It is a biblical thing to do.