Ga. University System To Review KSU ‘Athletic Processes’ After Cheerleader Protest
The University System of Georgia said it’s conducting a special review into “athletic processes” at Kennesaw State University.
The university pulled cheerleaders from the national anthem during football games, after five black students knelt to protest racial injustice.
Texts obtained by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution showed the decision may have been at the behest of State Rep. Earl Ehrhart and Cobb County Sheriff Neil Warren.
However, in a statement Wednesday, KSU President Sam Olens maintained that the change to the pre-game activities was unrelated to the cheerleaders’ protests.
Olens said the athletics department made the decision before he heard the concern from local government officials.
KSU’s decision to exclude the cheerleaders could get the university into legal trouble, according to Georgia State law professor Eric Segall.
“If these cheerleaders want to take a knee in the future, and their claim is the school is stopping us from doing it because they disagree with our political expression, I think a federal judge would be sympathetic,” Segall said.
Olens said he is open to meeting with the cheerleaders for a discussion about “how we can work together to continue to make KSU a university of which we are all proud.”