A Michigan State student has riled Twitter users, who are calling for her expulsion after she used racist AF language on Snapchat. In the videos, Jillian Kirk uses the n-word multiple times while out with friends. And because bigotry isn’t so much a singular choice as it is a lifestyle, it’s perhaps unsurprising that Kirk also made light about how she “used to bully retards.” The posts were highlighted by a fellow Michigan student, Miyanna Fowlkes:
On Friday morning, Kirk sent an apology letter to the Tab. In the letter, Kirk wrote, “I apologize for the inappropriate social media posts I made. Nothing was meant to cause pain to anyone, but I realize what was in those posts is hurtful and disrespectful. What was said in these posts is not how I feel, but I know I need to learn how to be more inclusive and respectful to diversity of people and diversity of thought. It is my goal to work on my behaviors. The recent events have shown me how insensitive I was. Again, I want to apologize for my actions and to those I have hurt.”
However, the apology isn’t sitting well with Twitter users, and the backlash even prompted a response from the school itself. In a statement, Michigan State said that while they don’t “condone racial harassment or bullying” and that Kirk’s behavior “is clearly not aligned with [their]Spartan values,” as a public institution, they “do not get to control what every member of [their] community says.”
(P.S. Michigan State is also currently entangled in the fallout of the Larry Nassar case, as the defamed sports doctor and convicted child sex offender was employed by the school.)
Meanwhile, Fowlkes told the New York Post, “I just don’t believe people like her should be allowed the privilege of becoming successful and be in a position of power. Also MSU is legally allowed to kick her out but they chose not to. ... She should be required to do some sort of diversity training to attend this university. Actions like this without consequence are unacceptable because people begin to realize nothing will happen to them."
Fowlkes told the Tab this is demonstrative of the school “not caring about the Black community or people with disabilities.” Despite the online support, Fowlkes has also received a number of hateful and racist messages since posting the tweet, perhaps only serving to underline her point.
