Obama backs student protests at University of Missouri

President Barack Obama praised student activism at the University of Missouri that last week resulted in the resignation of the university system president and the MU campus chancellor.

“There is clearly a problem at the University of Missouri, and that's not just coming from students. That's coming from some faculty,” the president said in an exclusive interview with ABC News’ Chief Anchor George Stephanopoulos. “I think it is entirely appropriate for students in a thoughtful, peaceful way to protest what they see as injustices or inattention to serious problems in their midst.

But Obama also students need to maintain an open dialogue with those who hold differing views.

“I want an activist student body just like I want an activist citizenry, and the issue is just making sure that even as these young people are getting engaged, getting involved, speaking out that they're also listening,” he added. “I'd rather see them err on the side of activism than being passive.”

The president also praised the Mizzou football coach and team, which threatened to boycott unless President Tim Wolfe resigned or was ousted.

Black students were dissatisfied with the university administration’s response to racial incidents on campus.

“The civil rights movement happened because there was civil disobedience, because people were willing to go to jail, because there were events like Bloody Sunday,” Obama told the network. “But it was also because the leadership of the movement consistently stayed open to the possibility of reconciliation and sought to understand the views, even views that were appalling to them, of the other side.”

This story was originally published November 15, 2015 at 12:19 PM with the headline "Obama backs student protests at University of Missouri."