I heard a radio news report that the Journalism Department faculty will take a vote on whether or not to dismiss Professor Melissa Click. And what the devil did she mean by “I need some muscle over here?” Did she expect protesters to beat the stuffing out of the reporters and videographers? Usually I don’t like calling for someone to be fired, but her actions, in light of her teaching post, are egregious. It’s simply and undoubtedly just another form of tyranny. What if the student reporter had been injured? She’s a bully. Would she have had brass ones had the crowd not been there? And someone should tell her that reporters were critical in gaining support for civil rights protesters in the south in the 1960s (ask M.L.K. Jr.). Reporters were not the only critical element of King’s strategy, but the news reports from the ground in Selma and the Freedom Rides helped not hurt, the cause.
This is the text of the actual statement from Mizzou J-School Dean David Kurpius.
"The Missouri School of Journalism is proud of photojournalism senior Tim Tai for how he handled himself during a protest on Carnahan Quad on the University of Missouri campus.
University of Missouri System President Tim Wolfe and University of Missouri-Columbia Chancellor R. Bowen Loftin both resigned on Nov. 9 after complaints and protests of their leadership. Tai was covering the event as a freelancer for ESPN when protesters blocked his access through physical and verbal intimidation.
The news media have First Amendment rights to cover public events. Tai handled himself professionally and with poise.
Also, for clarification, Assistant Professor Melissa Click, featured in several videos confronting journalists, is not a faculty member in the Missouri School of Journalism.
She is a member of the MU Department of Communication in the College of Arts and Science. In that capacity she holds a courtesy appointment with the School of Journalism. Journalism School faculty members are taking immediate action to review that appointment.
The events of Nov. 9 have raised numerous issues regarding the boundaries of the First Amendment. Although the attention on journalists has shifted the focus from the news of the day, it provides an opportunity to educate students and citizens about the role of a free press."
I suspect it is a distinction without a difference, especially at a state school. It probably wouldn’t fly anywhere, but this seems especially egregious. As the old saying goes, and pardon my warping of it: I would never use ethnic pejoratives in any context myself, but I will defend vigorously someone’s right to be a hateful idiot and use them if they choose. This whole idea of a “safe space” is completely misguided as it is being constructed, if it means being safe from having your feelings hurt and/or being exposed to contrary ideas.
Click released a statement today apologizing for her actions.
And @LakeWashington as stated in Kurpius’ statement above, Click is not a professor in the journalism school. They’re currently reviewing her courtesy appointment, but she isn’t actually a j-school professor.
Concerned Student 1950 also removed their “no media” signs and were a lot more open talking to people today. They passed out flyers that said this was a “learning experience” for them.
tainG
at this time does the truth even matter???
there are no adults in charge when a communications professor is asking for “muscle” to bully student journalists, the police want you to photograph people and license plates of people who make “hurtful” comments…(whatever that means and as surely the chief knows how beyond creepy that is… legality aside.) the school is spiraling out of control.
the coach with a losing record is a hero and the president was forced out because some people say some things may have happened.
this missou situation keeps getting more “interesting”
google the following to read about the swastika
“the federalist missouri incident”
like I said before the truth no longer matters or even trying to get at the truth…but worth the read!
note**** it is PG-13
fallenchemsist
" I would never use ethnic pejoratives in any context myself, but I will defend vigorously someone’s right to be a hateful idiot and use them if they choose"
I feel you have a misread on the situation. I do not think that is what they are talking about this is more of an alice in wonderland,1984 type of thing…
with micro aggressions, trigger words and whatever the latest stuff they have cooked up in the sheltered world of college campuses you may say good morning and find yourself reported to BIG BROTHER (formerly known as the police)
it is really really scary ! someone needs to step on and bring sanity back to this school!
She’ll lose her journalism appointment but not her Communications job? Is that what we should expect?
Journalism appointment is basically nothing; it’s just a title. It’s only been a day since the incident happened so I would think that it might take a few days for something to shake out. She did issue an apology.
Also, she has been getting death threats and that’s definitely uncalled for.
The professor has resigned from the School of Journalism:
Agree on death threats. Those are crimes and I hope those people are found and punished.
Was an apology adequate to save Wolfe? Could he have apologized and kept his job?
What about the other professor involved. There were two there, right?
@HarvestMoon1 Again, it was only a courtesy appointment, she wasn’t actually j-school faculty. So that means almost nothing. It just meant she sat on a committee. She is still employed with the Comm dept, her “real” so to speak department that she works for in the School of Arts and Sciences. She issued an apology this afternoon. Whether or not she will resign or be removed in the future is unclear.
@gettingschooled There were two university employees involved in the media incident. The first was Click and the other was the Director of Greek Life. Not much has come from her other than a joint statement in support by IFC, PHA, etc.
…“Director of Greek Life”
She’s the one in the gray North Face who says “my name is 1950” or something to that effect. I knew she was too old to be a college student.
No one has mentioned the fact that Click slapped the camera when he first approached her. I’ve had a camera shoved in my eye (in college; accident) and it hurt quite a bit. Tim Tai probably has too much dignity to have her charged with assault.
I would hope the alumni of this school would strenuously object to this woman remaining on the faculty. The school is looking really bad in the national spotlight.
“Also, she has been getting death threats and that’s definitely uncalled for.”
is that true or is she saying that to get sympathy??
of course if it is true that behavior is absurd…but I would take anything that professor says with a grain of salt.
she actually needs to be charged criminally for her actions (she probably will not) .
Click and the other woman, both whom sought to physically intimidate the reporter, need to resign. The conduct of neither would have been tolerated in a classroom at the university. Their apologies were required but their horrendously poor judgment just isn’t extinguished by an apology. I would like to see statements of regret from the student leaders at the camp site that clearly sought to intimidate Tim Tai. How can college students be so dismissive of democratic principles? These people obviously know nothing about the campus free speech activism of the 1960s.
My daughter is a senior in HS, has applied and been accepted to MU, and has been offered a spot in the honors college. With the merit money they have offered, it would be close to tuition free. With what I’ve seen of their professors over the last two days and with how the university seems to be run by whatever student group screams the loudest and by the football team, I WILL NEVER allow my D to go to that school.
Unfortunately, I can only see Click’s statement and resignation as ultimately self-serving; an attempt to preserve her “professional” reputation and future employability.
No real Communications or Journalism professional could be that ignorant as regards First Amendment rights and responsibilities.
And, the other students depicted in that video should be ashamed as well, even though they’re not expected to clear as high a bar.
@OspreyCV22 Actually, the guy with the camera filming the whole thing was not Tai, it was another MU student filming the whole thing. Tai could probably press charges for the people pushing him though.
@LakeWashington At first Concerned Student 1950 was adamant that they had done the right thing but yesterday they suddenly took down the “no media” signs and handed out flyers calling this a “learning experience” and said that the media was more than welcome. Guessing a PR-type person advising them told them it would be in their interest to be nice to the media. However, I highly doubt any apologies will come from the group.
@zobroward Could she be making up the death threats? Possibly, but I’ve heard it from pretty reputable sources that’s it’s true and I wouldn’t doubt it because of all the outrage over what’s happened. There are nation-wide petitions circulating calling for her removal and a lot of being being hateful on the Internet.
I’m some misinformation in this thread/exaggerations and just want people to know that the national media is leaving things out, so I would encourage people to keep up with Columbia’s local and student media for the most accurate coverage. They’ve been covering all of this since day one and are doing a really good job.
I imagine many parents in @cobale 's circumstances feel similarly, and no one can blame them for doing so. As others have stated, good-quality students have many options open to them.
I happen to be of the school of thought that sometimes the safest time to fly is just after a major plane crash. A disaster has a way of forcing attention to detail and accountability, spotlighting areas where complacency had set in, driving the development of improved processes, and stepping up customer service to keep loyal customers and earn back the ones who bailed.
That’s if it’s managed properly, of course. This situation is very fresh and I’m planning to delay judgment for the upcoming month or two at least. The leadership has opportunities to fix this. There’s a lot to watch for:
- What happens to those two University employees - one faculty, one administrative - will be key.
- The process of selecting a new President and Chancellor, who the finalists are, the eventual choices and what their vision is.
- The extent to which the 1950 "Demands" appear to be allowed to drive the bus.
- What additional backstory comes out about the central figures in the situation that culminated on Monday.
“I’m some misinformation in this thread/exaggerations and just want people to know that the national media is leaving things out, so I would encourage people to keep up with Columbia’s local and student media for the most accurate coverage. They’ve been covering all of this since day one and are doing a really good job.”
Great point, @CE527M , although a balanced diet is important. Interested folks in and outside of Missouri should read the local AND the national.
There’s a very sophisticated and experienced journalism community nationwide, including at graduate programs like Columbia and Northwestern, plus the Poynter Institute and others. With distance can come greater objectivity, and viewed through a lens of broad experience, those perspectives are key. There was a Columbia Journalism Review article making the rounds yesterday that was incredibly incisive and on point.