Ļć½¶Ö±²„Athletics Director issues statement on coachās tweet
STARKVILLE, Miss.āĀ After completing a thorough internal discussion and holding several listening sessions with appropriate student and alumni groups, Ļć½¶Ö±²„ Director of Athletics John Cohen issued the following statement regarding aĀ recentĀ controversialĀ tweet by Ļć½¶Ö±²„Head Football Coach Mike Leach:Ā
āNo matter the context, for many Americans the image of a noose is never appropriate and thatās particularly true in the South and in Mississippi. Ļć½¶Ö±²„ was disappointed in the use of such an image in aĀ tweet by Coach Mike Leach.Ā HeĀ removed theĀ tweet and issued a public apology. The university is confident that āÆCoach LeachĀ is movingĀ quickly and sincerely past this unintended misstep andĀ willĀ provide the leadershipĀ for our student athletesĀ and excitement for our football program that our fans deserve and that our students and alumni will be proud to support.āĀ
Cohen said that a planĀ is in placeĀ forĀ Coach LeachĀ to participateĀ inĀ additional listening sessions with student, alumni, and community groups and to provide the coach with opportunities to expand his cultural awareness of Mississippi.Ā One of those opportunities will include a guided visit to the āTwo Museumsā ā the Museum of Mississippi History and the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum ā in Jackson as soon as restrictions from the current public health crisis will allow.Ā
Ļć½¶Ö±²„is MississippiāsĀ leadingĀ university, available online at .