The University of St. Thomas in St. Paul offered counseling to students who were ‘impacted’ by the verdict in the Kyle Rittenhouse case. The school said, “As individuals and communities, we may need time to process the verdict.”
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An email, addressed to the University of St. Thomas business students, was posted to Twitter, where the university acknowledged that, “this past week has been challenging for many members of our community following the verdict in the trial of Kyle Rittenhouse.”
Rittenhouse had been charged with murder and reckless endangerment after shooting three white men, two of which died, during the riots in Kenosha in August 2020. A panel of 12 jurors found Rittenhouse not guilty of any of the counts of murder or reckless endangerment. Rittenhouse cited self-defense as the motivation for his actions.
According to the email, the diversity and inclusion working group held a meeting on Tuesday following the Rittenhouse verdict to “create a space and environment where members of our community can feel safe and heard.” The group also had a Zoom option for students to attend the meeting.
It also issued an invitation for community members to join the group if they “would like to work to create a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive college.”
The email went on to detail that the working group “is made up of staff, faculty, and students who work together to develop steps aimed at creating culture change in our college, so every member of our community feels included.”
The group meets monthly and its aim is to create a “brave space” for students to “have conversations about racism, identity, and diversity.”
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Hayley Feland is a reporter with The Minnesota Sun and The Wisconsin Daily Star | Star News Network. Follow Hayley on Twitter or like her Facebook page. Send news tips to [email protected].
Photo “University of St. Thomas” by University of St. Thomas.
