Mizzou bars 2 juveniles after reported 'abhorrent' racist incidents
Officials with the University of Missouri-Columbia have barred two juveniles from campus after they were allegedly involved in two separate incidents earlier this month in which racial slurs were directed at Black students.
The move comes after the Legion of Black Collegians, a Black student government group, described the racist incidents in a social media pos t on Sunday. The group, in the post, said that "a pickup truck full of white men" directed a racial slur at two students who were walking near the Gaines/Oldham Black Culture Center on campus on Oct. 6.
The post alleged that another student "experienced the same thing as well."
Travis Zimpfer, a university spokesperson, said in a statement on Wednesday that officials had identified the drivers in both incidents. One driver was from Columbia and the other was from Boonville; neither were students or employees with the university, Zimpfer said.
"Both drivers, who are juveniles, have been trespassed from campus, meaning that they cannot be on university property without advance permission, such as might be given for medical appointments," Zimpfer said.
The statement said that university police and the university's Office of Institutional Equity were investigating the allegations, describing the slurs as "abhorrent racial epithets." It's unclear whether the juveniles, who were not identified in the statement, will face criminal charges.
"We do not tolerate discrimination and harassment on our campus," the statement said, which encouraged students who experience racism to contact the Office of Institutional Equity.
The university's Instagram account also commented on the LBC's social media post. The comment included a letter that UM System President Mun Choi sent to LBC leadership on Tuesday that provided further details about the two incidents, which allegedly occurred on Oct. 6 and Oct. 11. The university was able to identify the drivers through cameras that were installed on campus in 2020, the letter said.
"We are also exploring additional sanctions that we can take against the individuals," the letter said. "I want you to know that we take these matters seriously. I'll keep you updated on new developments."
The LBC, in its initial social media post, said that the incidents were among several racist incidents that have happened to students on the university's campus. In the fall of 2015, for example, student-led protests erupted on campus, criticizing inaction by university leaders after a string of racist incidents including a report that white men in a pickup truck yelled racial slurs at the then-student body president.
"We will no longer stand idly by while bright and hard-working students are reduced down to mere zoo animals by randoms on campus," the statement said. The group also issued a list of demands to university leaders, which included a statement from the university condemning the behavior.
The LBC did not immediately respond to an email on Wednesday asking if it was satisfied with the university's response.
The two incidents come as the university has faced criticism for moving away from diversity efforts as Republican lawmakers have targeted diversity programs in recent years. The university in July eliminated its Division of Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity as part of a reorganization plan in response to Republican-led legislation in other states.
The University of Missouri System last year announced that it would be stopping all race-based admissions and race-based scholarships moving forward. However, Choi told reporters at the time that the system would continue to honor current scholarships that had a racial component.
The decision happened after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the race-based admission policies of the University of North Carolina and Harvard College. It also followed a letter from Republican Attorney General Andrew Bailey, who demanded that colleges in the state immediately end all affirmative action policies.
The UM System last year also scrapped its use of diversity statements in its hiring practices and announced standardized language that leaders can send to prospective employees.
