As Kansas State University conducts an “immediate review” of options to punish student Jaden McNeil for making a joke on Twitter, Black Lives Matter activists have released a statement demanding McNeil receive “strong consequences of his actions” or they “will not play.”
The statement, which is rife with grammatical errors, states, “Due to recent insensitivity from Kansas State Students, collectively as Black student athletes we will no longer accept these types of actions. If we do not see any change, we will not play or participate in any donor or recruiting events.”
“A Policy created against racism that will expel any student that openly displays racism on all platforms such as, social media, school, Aggieville, and sporting events,” the statement continues. “We also need to see student Jaden McNeil receive strong consequences of his insensitive actions.”
The demand concludes, “If these actions are not taken. It is a promise that we will not play.”
After being posted to Twitter by a member of the Kansas State women’s basketball team, the demand letter was met met with equal parts support and criticism.
Please respect my decision. pic.twitter.com/S74a0hwPYe
— christianna mae (@chrissycarr4) June 26, 2020
Jaden McNeil is now cancelling women's college basketball #BASED https://t.co/RRD4DrZJKO
— Scott Greer (@ScottMGreer) June 26, 2020
Kansas State football players also demanded that McNeil be removed from the campus.
“And he go to kstate ?? Naw sum gotta change now fr.@KState y’all need to do something,” tweeted a a wide receiver for the team.
And he go to kstate ?? Naw sum gotta change now fr. @KState y’all need to do something https://t.co/FZStP7Uf3B
— Joshua Youngblood (@YB060) June 26, 2020
Another player demaned, “YES, I am a football player BUT I’m a BLACK man first …. @KState Get this handled NOW … Sh** is ridiculous!”
YES, I am a football player BUT I’m a BLACK man first …. @KState Get this handled NOW … Sh** is ridiculous! https://t.co/J9ZazPczl7
— Walter Neil Jr (@1WayWalt) June 26, 2020
A petition posted to Change.org titled “Ban America First Students from Kansas State University” also demands that all members of the America First Students group be expelled from campus for “hateful rhetoric.”
A final decision by Kansas State has not been announced, but the university has expressed soidarity with the Black Lives Matter political movement and vowed to fight for “social justice.
