More than 100 Republican Missouri lawmakers are calling for a University of Missouri assistant professor to be fired in response to her videotaped clash with reporters during campus protests.
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Click was caught on camera ordering cameraman Mark Schierbecker away from a public area and calling for “muscle” when he wouldn’t leave.
Gov. Jay Nixon said he doesn’t blame people for being angry about the behavior of a University of Missouri communications professor during protests in Columbia in November.
In addition, the senators also called for the firing of the university’s assistant director of Greek Life Janna Basler, who appears in the confrontation video to have physical contact with a student photographer.
A group of over 100 Republican members of the General Assembly have signed letters submitted to the University of Missouri Board of Curators asking for the firing of Prof.
“We wish to state in no uncertain terms our support for Click as a member of the University of Missouri faculty who has earned her position through an outstanding record of teaching and research”, Click’s allies wrote.
“To blatantly disregard that, not only that…and assault a student that she had been entrusted to teach at the University of Missouri”, State Representative Caleb Jones.
Click’s page with the school’s communication department says: “Current research projects involve 50 Shades of Grey readers, the impact of social media in fans” relationship with Lady Gaga, masculinity and male fans, messages about class and food in reality television programming, and messages about work in children’s television programs’.
Both Click and Mizzou spokesman Christian Basi did not immediately respond to email messages seeking comment sent Tuesday evening.
Just before the dispute with Schierbecker, a student journalist had asked protesters to stop pushing him when he tried to take photos, and said he had a right to be there under the First Amendment – the same principle protecting their right to protest. Melissa Click after her role in the Concerned Student 1950 protests November 2015.
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In the letter, the lawmakers wrote that while they recognized there “may be some value in pop culture studies”, Click’s actions have led to increased public scrutiny.
