“The story involves the failure of administrators, a student on day 6 of a hunger strike, and creative, fearless students”, she wrote.
Advertisement
In an email sent to The Washington Post, Tim Tai, a student journalist who was confronted by Click as a camera rolled, confirmed that the professor had apologized to him by phone and said that he’d accepted her apology.
The faculty of the Missouri School of Journalism convened an emergency meeting Tuesday afternoon to consider relieving Click of her courtesy appointment before she announced her own resignation, according to the Columbia Missourian.
As the video nears its end, the person taking the video, Mark Schierbecker, emerged from the scrum and approached [Click] … “I’m a communications faculty and I really get that argument”, Click tells Schierbecker in a mocking tone.
Click said she he realized her actions inappropriate after reviewing a video that shows her attempting to lead students to block reporters from accessing an area where activists were stationed.
Melissa Click, a communications professor at the University of Missouri who has been under fire this week for starting an altercation with journalists on campus, released a statement Tuesday apologizing for her behavior.
Dean David Kurpius said in a statement Tuesday the school was proud of senior Tim Tai, who was trying to take pictures Monday of protesters celebrating after hearing that President Tim Wolfe had resigned.
The school also distanced itself from the professor, Melissa Click, who was seen in the video calling for “muscle” to remove another journalist from the protest site.
Supervising editor is Elizabeth Brixey. A journalism professor like Click knows that, and yet tries to direct violence against a photographer acting in good faith. On Monday, November 9th, Click would become known as as the protester who grabbed a journalist’s video camera, told him he had no right to be there, then asked for “muscle” to have him removed from the scene. I have reviewed and reflected upon the video of me that is circulating, and have written this statement to offer both apology and context for my actions.
Click has faced significant criticism over her handling of the event, and it has sparked discussion regarding first amendment rights throughout the country. When he refuses, Click turns to a crowd and asks for help in removing the reporter. The Missouri School of Journalism and the main university’s communications department are separate from one another.
Tai added that he hopes the professor’s apology will relieve a few of the tensions stoked by the viral video.
Basler also issued a statement last night, offering a “public apology to the journalist involved”.
“It started small, like most things do…” I thought it was very appropriate.
“If she doesn’t do it I think she has to resign”, Schierbecker said. She also apologized to all journalists and the university community for detracting from the students’ efforts to improve the racial climate on the Columbia campus.
Advertisement
“If I had to do it over again, I wouldn’t have engaged as much”, Tai said.
