Here is a statement from Interim Chancellor and Provost Barbara A. Bichelmeyer and UMKC’s Faculty Senate Executive Committee:
On Friday, Jason Stockley, a former St. Louis police officer, was found not guilty of first-degree murder and armed criminal action in the on-duty shooting death of Anthony Lamar Smith. We understand that some will find the verdict deeply objectionable and some will find it appropriate, and that many may decide to respond to the news by exercising their rights of free speech in various forms and formats.
At UMKC, we believe that freedom to speak is a right protected by the Constitution and that everyone has this right. We encourage people who are planning on exercising this right to act appropriately and according to the values statement that the UMKC community agreed upon last year, to honor inclusiveness, to respect difference, and to act in ways that enhance and improve our relationships with each other, even when such action is difficult.