Chris Klieman issues statement of support as K-State football players demand change
Anyone who questioned if Kansas State football coach Chris Klieman supported his players after they vowed not to play or practice for the Wildcats until K-State created a new policy against racism on its campus can stop wondering about that particular topic.
He supplied a definitive answer on Sunday night.
“Racism is not welcome at K-State now or in the future,” Klieman wrote on Twitter. “On and off the field, as a family, we will make a difference through our action. I am excited to help every player unite for the solution now, so that we can come together stronger than ever. Black Lives Matter.”
Klieman issued that statement of support one day after the entire K-State football team shared a letter stating that they were uniting to take a stand against racism in the wake of an insensitive tweet about George Floyd from a K-State student.
In the letter, K-State football players said they will not “play, practice or meet” until university administrators create a policy that will allow a student to be expelled for displaying “openly racist, threatening or disrespectful actions” toward any of their fellow students.
The letter came a day after several student-athletes at K-State threatened to boycott all team activities unless the university took action against Jaden McNeil, the student who posted a tweet that read: “Congratulations to George Floyd on being drug free for an entire month!”
That tweet was met with anger from many with connections to K-State, including student-athletes who decided to use their platforms to condemn McNeil. In a sign of how much power college athletes currently have, their demands have been heard and real change is being considered.
The K-State football made the loudest statement yet. If nothing happens, players say they won’t report when summer workouts resume on July 13 or play when the season is scheduled to begin on Sept. 5.
Here is what their complete letter read:
“To our family at Kansas State: Due to the recent disparaging, insensitive and unsettling comments made by a fellow student, we as a football team, after consultation with students from campus organizations as well as students from the general student body, feel it is best for us to stand with the students.”
“We are demanding that Kansas State University put a policy in place that allows a student to be dismissed for displaying openly racist, threatening or disrespectful actions toward a student or groups of students. We have resolved that we cannot play, practice or meet until these demands are heard and actions taken. We love Kansas State, but we must stand together and protect all students moving forward.”
That could obviously create some headaches for Klieman. But it seems as though he supports everything his players have united against.
This story was originally published June 28, 2020 at 9:19 PM with the headline "Chris Klieman issues statement of support as K-State football players demand change."