Allow Me to Subject Michigan State University to Some Public Disrespect and Ridicule, but not for the Reasons They Think

TW: Abuse, Sexual Assault, Secondary Trauma Caused by Inept Institutions

Given their appalling history of enabling sexual abuse, one would wish Michigan State University would take care to do better than today’s letter firing football coach Mel Tucker.

MSU says it is firing Tucker “for cause.” The cause: sexually harassing a woman who survived sexual violence and was now working with MSU football in her job as an advocate and trainer for sexual violence prevention.

But read the linked termination letter itself and there is this:

Had you not engaged in this inappropriate and unprofessional conduct, the University would not be subject to public disrespect and ridicule regarding your actions.

There it is—MSU paints itself as the victim. The offense? “Public disrespect and ridicule.”

Here is a missed opportunity to send a message of hope and healing to people who have survived sexual violence. Here is a missed opportunity to name specific behaviors and abuse dynamics and roundly condemn them. MSU needs to be asking: “How can we do right by a woman victimized by our football coach?” and, “How can we do right by all the survivors of sexual violence on our campus?” and, “How can we do right by all those young football players who take abuse prevention seriously?” and, “How can we affirm our commitment to safety and care at MSU?” Instead, it seems they are asking, “How can we save face and protect our university?”

And if the response is that they have to be judicious/cautious/whatever in writing, because they stakes are so high legally, consider: MSU could set a really positive example here by expressing care for those having experienced trauma and by standing against sexual abuse and harassment even while (especially while) under potential threat of a lawsuit. “The time is always right to do what is right.”

Let’s re-center Brenda Tracy, for a moment, whom I quote here because she has willingly gone on the record with USA Today:

The idea that someone could know me and say they understand my trauma but then re-inflict that trauma on me is so disgusting to me, it’s hard for me to even wrap my mind around it. It’s like he sought me out just to betray me.”

So allow me—a lowly blogger, but also a pastor and someone who longs for a world that better loves survivors of sexual violence—allow me to subject Michigan State University to some “public disrespect and ridicule” (better: to call them to repentance), but not for the reasons they have in mind:

MSU should apologize today for expressing more concern about its own reputation than about the impact of Coach Tucker’s abuse.