SC Legislative Black Caucus Supports Dawn Staley’s Decision To Cancel BYU’s Women’s Basketball Game

Columbia, SC – On behalf of the South Carolina Legislative Black Caucus (SCLBC), Chairwoman Rep. Patricia Henegan and Chair-Elect Rep. Ivory Thigpen released a letter to Chairman Rep. Adam Morgan and members of the Freedom Caucus, supporting the University of South Carolina Women’s Basketball Coach, Dawn Staley’s decision to cancel BYU Women’s basketball game.

Dear Chairman Morgan and Members of the Freedom Caucus,

The South Carolina Legislative Black Caucus is writing to say that we will not condone any attempted bullying of Coach Dawn Staley, the University of South Carolina supporters, or the university itself. Coach Staley’s top priorities as the head coach are protecting her players, their parents, and the university family. Coach Staley has made our state and the nation proud with her willingness to advocate for fairness and justice. She has played with and coached people of all ethnicities and backgrounds. Coach Staley’s commitment to speaking out against injustice and hate and her work to bring Brittney Griner home to our country is why we should all applaud her and work to support her.

So that members of the Freedom understand, Coach Staley made a very tough decision by weighing previous cases where minority students were chastised, bullied, and called racial slurs. In February of 2021, BYU released a report saying its students of color felt ‘isolated and unsafe’ due to racism on their campus. This report concluded with a committee recommending school leaders take immediate action to address these concerns. Also, just recently, BYU alum and professor of sociology at the University of Memphis, and author of “When Race, Religion & Sports Collide: Black Athletes at BYU and Beyond,” discussed the volleyball incident and fallout, the school’s history with Black athletes, and why BYU as an institution should do much more to combat racism on campus. Simply put, Coach Staley used all information available to reach a decision that was in the best interests and safety of her players, their families, her staff, and our university.

The South Carolina General Assembly does not hire nor govern the actions of any athletic coach in this state. Your actions and comments towards Coach Staley are highly inappropriate and disrespectful. Neither Coach Staley nor any coach at our state colleges and universities owes any explanation to the Freedom Caucus, especially one related to protecting their players.

Coach Staley’s only agenda and responsibility are to protect her players, staff and family, friends of the team, and the university. She is doing a hall-of-fame-worthy job in this capacity. The South Carolina Legislative Black Caucus will stand with her and protect her from any attacks by South Carolina politicians seeking attention. The well-being of our college and university student-athletes is not a political issue.

Sincerely,

SCLBC Chair, Rep. Patricia M. Henegan

SCLBC Chair-Elect, Rep. Ivory T. Thigpen