Now She's Sorry
/
The University of Missouri communications professor now says she's sorry.
After catching all kinds of heat for trying to stop a Journalist from doing his job, communications professor Melissa Click, released a statement apologizing for her behavior.
After everyone else had realized it long before her, Click said she realized her actions were inappropriate after reviewing a video that shows her attempting to lead students to block reporters from accessing an area where activists were stationed.
The incident happened during a day "full of emotion and confusion," she said.
But the apology appears to be to little, to late, last night she "resigned" from her courtesy appointment with the Missouri School of Journalism.
A courtesy appointment allows members of one academic unit to serve on graduate committees for students from other academic units. Click teaches mass media in the Communication Department. The School of Journalism is a separate entity.
In her statement, Click said that ,"I have reached out to the journalists involved to offer my sincere apologies and to express regret over my actions, I regret the language and strategies I used, and sincerely apologize to the MU campus community, and journalists at large, for my behavior, and also for the way my actions have shifted attention away from the students’ campaign for justice. My actions were shaped by exasperation with a few spirited reporters."
Click said she spoke with student photographer Tim Tai, who she and students tried to keep from taking pictures of the protest, on the phone Tuesday and that he accepted her apology.
"I believe he is doing a difficult job, and I am grateful to have had the opportunity to speak with him," Click said in her statement. "His dignity also speaks well to the Journalism program at MU."
Tai confirmed that Click had apologized to him, and said she was "very gracious."
