Fight Back News Service is circulating the following Nov. 9 statement from Students for a Democratic Society (SDS).

National SDS Celebrates the Victory of University of Missouri Students and Football Players Against Racism, As President Tim Wolfe Resigns

National Students for a Democratic Society stands in solidarity with the African-American students, faculty, football players, and other members of the University of Missouri campus community, who have been protesting against the administration's inaction towards a series of racist slurs and hate crimes.

Just today, the University of Missouri President Tim Wolfe has stepped down from his post, in response to student protests and the football team's strike against administration's inaction towards racist hate speech.

In early October, several black students had slurs flung at them by racists on campus, and they called on administration to take action. Administration did nothing. A swastika was drawn in feces in one of the dorm bathrooms, and again, students called for administration to act. Again, administration did nothing to combat the anti-Black hate speech. Students have since been holding protests and walkouts to oust the University of Missouri president for his inaction.

This week, the University of Missouri football team's members of at least 30 players went on strike, announcing that they would play no games until university President Tim Wolfe resigned from his post. Yesterday, the U of Missouri faculty also joined the call for student walkouts, in solidarity with the football team's strike.

Students for a Democratic Society views the resignation of President Tim Wolfe as the hard-won success of the football players' strike, the student demonstrations, and the faculty's solidarity. We also demand that administrators not only address hate speech, but also that campus administrations increase their enrollment and retention of African-American students and end discriminatory admissions practices.

We see that the fight against anti-Black racism in Missouri lives on, particularly after the Ferguson uprising, and we view these bold, brave actions as an example for students all over the country.

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