Two of Missouri’s Republican candidates used their latest forum appearances to criticize the response to recent protests at the University of Missouri.
Catherine Hanaway
During the Missouri Farm Bureau’s forum featuring all five gubernatorial candidates, Former House Speaker and U.S. Attorney Catherine Hanaway was asked how she would foster collaboration between universities in Missouri with ag programs.
“The first thing I want to do is clean up the lawlessness at the University of Missouri,” said Hanaway.
She said cited a speech by Ronald Reagan on the issue of campus protests over the Vietnam War in which she said he said, “Teachers who are paid to teach should teach, students should go to class, and athletes who are given scholarships should play.”
“I think the governor ought to be there,” Hanaway continued. “And if the curators that you’ve appointed aren’t making sure that those things happen, then perhaps you should have a conversation with them about why you still want to be a curator.”
Lieutenant Governor Peter Kinder accused the governor and University leadership of failing to lead during those protest.
Missouri Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder – Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI
“I was looking for university leadership and a head coach who would say, ‘There are no strikes on our football team. You are privileged athletes with a scholarship, and free room and board, and free tuition, and the best meals on campus in the dining hall. In exchange for that we expect you to suit up and if you don’t you have jeopardized your scholarship,'” said Kinder.
Both their remarks were met with applause by the Farm Bureau crowd.
Kinder followed up on his statements after the forum, criticizing Governor Jay Nixon (D) for not going to the University during the protests.
“I would have gone on campus … I would have listened to the demonstrators – they have a right to be heard,” said Kinder. “But they do not govern the university. The students don’t govern the university and the faculty don’t govern the university. The board of curators does.”
