Mulkey’s remarks knock Baylor one step back
Baylor has taken several steps forward.
On Saturday night, Kim Mulkey took a giant one backward.
The Lady Bears basketball coach turned a night when every headline would have been positive into a storm of negativity by defending the embattled university’s sexual assault scandal.
Baylor beat Texas Tech 86-48 on Saturday, giving Mulkey her 500th win at the university and the Lady Bears their seventh consecutive Big 12 regular-season title.
Amid celebrating the accomplishments, she spoke to fans at Waco’s Ferrell Center.
“If somebody’s around you and they ever say, ‘I will never send my daughter to Baylor,’ you knock them right in the face,” she told the crowd of cheering fans.
Let that sink in for a moment.
The university has worked to turn things around after dozens of allegations of domestic and sexual assault, but Mulkey’s instinct is to encourage fans who question the morals and ethics of the institution to incite violence.
Even if her words were not intended to be taken literally, they were incredibly insensitive, considering the number of victims who have come forward to bravely share their horrific experiences of being assaulted by
Baylor football players. A Title IX lawsuit filed last month alleged that there were as many as 52 rapes in a four-year span during the time former coach Art Briles was in charge of the football program.
Mulkey, 54, finished her passionate speech by calling Baylor “the best damn school in America.”
At a news conference later, Mulkey tried to justify her comments. She explained she was tired of hearing about the story from national media.
“If they didn’t sit in those meetings and they weren’t a part of the investigation, then you’re repeating things that you’ve heard,” she said. “It’s over, it’s done. And this is a great institution. And I would send my daughter here. And I’d pay for anybody’s else’s daughter to come here.
“I work here every day. I’m in the know. And I’m tired of hearing it. This is a great institution.
“The problems we have at Baylor are no different than the problems at any other school in America. Period. Move on. Find another story to write.”
Can’t shrug it off Let’s break this down: A: You know what victims of sexual assault are tired of hearing?
That because it happens elsewhere, it’s somehow OK to ignore.
For a woman in a leadership role to dismiss this casually is disheartening, disrespectful and disgusting.
B: As a member of the media, I did my research. I investigated. I pored over court documents, corroborated accounts, read through Title IX regulations, spoke with experts, spoke with lawyers, spoke with Baylor leadership.
More importantly, I sat with victims. I listened. I cared.
I reported their stories in hopes that we could make a difference and stop these violent acts from happening again.
If Mulkey has done any of that, I would love to hear the reasons she thinks we should all move on.
C: The problems at Baylor are different than other schools in America. It’s unfortunately true that women students are raped and assaulted at many other schools. This is a nationwide epidemic that needs attention and action.
But Baylor’s issues went beyond the norm because the university had leadership in place who didn’t respond appropriately, didn’t act. Baylor has made positive changes. Regents there have fired coaches and officials. They’ve brought in people who care. They’ve committed to make changes, to be an example of how to right the wrongs.
Then Mulkey shows us that maybe the culture of the school isn’t changing just yet.
She has made controversial headlines before. In 2013, Houston native and former Baylor basketball star Brittney Griner said Mulkey told players not be openly gay because it would hurt the program and recruiting.
Now, it seems as if she wants to ensure her recruiting doesn’t suffer in the wake of Baylor’s issues by denying a problem exists.
Slowing the progress
Mulkey is entitled to believe whatever she wants.
It’s unfortunate she feels this way, though, because she is someone who could bring about real change.
She’s a wonderful basketball coach, a passionate person, a leader.
She could speak for women. She could show support for victims.
She could help Baylor in its quest to become a better and safer place.
Instead, she chooses to deny, deflect and ignore.
Some compassion and sympathy for victims would go a long way. Acknowledging their struggles and taking proper actions to make sure others don’t go through the same is essential for Baylor.
It’s clear that much of the leadership at the university understands that. It’s clear that many people there, including new football coach Matt Rhule, are dedicated to change.
Mulkey’s recent tirade slows the progress.
On a night on which her accomplishments should have been uplifting, Baylor’s strongest and most influential female leader chose to swerve in the opposite direction.