Have you heard about the college basketball player who has been released from TWO universities for accusations of separate sexual assaults at each institution and now a third school is offering him a scholarship to play basketball? That campus is Northwest Florida State.
What is the history of this athlete?
He “was one of three University of Oregon basketball players who were suspended for up to 10 years last month after allegedly sexually assaulting a female classmate. He had been previously suspended from the Providence College basketball team for an alleged sexual assault there.” Quoted at InsideHigherEd
Also from InsideHigherEd, the coach who offered this basketball player the recent scholarship for him to attend his third university said, “The college has decided to give this young man an opportunity to continue his education…We have the experience, support and resources to help Brandon get back on track towards graduating and help him be a successful student athlete on and off the court“, Steve DeMeo, Northwest Florida State’s head basketball coach (click here to read full story).
If you want to help this basketball player grow as a person, Coach DeMeo, you don’t continue to REWARD him with the privilege of participating in college athletics. You focus on getting him rehabilitation, counseling, and much more for years BEFORE he is ever allowed to return onto any college campus for an education.
Coach DeMeo and your university’s administration, how do you explain to EVERY student on your campus the following message you are sending: helping a single student, a basketball player, is a greater priority than insuring the safety of every student on your campus? By INVITING this student to attend your school on scholarship, you are welcoming a person who has been SUSPENDED by TWO campuses for sexual misconduct allegations to now be able to have a third chance to engage in such behavior against your student body.
A question every parent, alum, and current student should be asking Northwest Florida State’s administration and Head Coach DeMeo is, “How often do you engage in this approach to recruiting college athletes?” If this has nothing to do with him being a basketball player, then ask, “When was the last time and how often have you HELPED athletes allegedly accused of sexual assault to become a student on your campus?”
Every parent, student, and alum deserves to know the answer. Everyone deserves to know their campus cares more about each person’s SAFETY than any athletic team’s success.
What do YOU think? Please share your thoughts in the COMMENTS section below!