Christine Temple

Springfield (Mo.) News-Leader

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — The expletive and racial slur printed on the cover of Missouri State University's student newspaper is shocking.

Trevor Mitchell, The Standard's editor-in-chief, admits that, but said it was necessary to tell the story of what a group of students experienced as they peacefully protested on campus.

"It would be disingenuous if we did not say exactly what was said on the campus to students by students," said Mitchell, 21. "The people who were yelling the quotes certainly didn't censor themselves."

The F-word and N-word were printed in large, white letters in Tuesday's paper, contrasting with the black background.

"I don't care about n******. They're all just n******," and "F*** you all."

Missouri State students who recently organized a silent demonstration on race relations provided the quotes to The Standard. The students said tailgaters yelled the expletive and racial slur at them during their protest before the homecoming football game.

University officials said the newspaper staff did not violate any policies in printing the quotes.

Jack Dimond, a Missouri State instructor and the newspaper's adviser, said he saw the paper before it was printed and provided the students with feedback, but he let the students make the final choice.

"I am not going to publicly critique their work," Dimond said. "They are perfectly capable of taking responsibility for their own decisions."

President Clif Smart said when he saw the paper in print, he cringed.

"I don't think it's ever appropriate to use the N-word in a headline," he said. "But it's their paper. We are not going to censor a student paper."

He said even with the "sensationalized" headline, The Standard's overall coverage was fair and complete. In a column printed in the same paper, Smart said he plans to work with students on improving diversity and reaching a "true understanding of our differences."

Mitchell said the six students who make up The Standard's editorial staff made the decision to print the quotes without redaction.

"This was what was said and people should know that," he said. "We thought this would be an effective way of letting the campus know what was said to these people."

The students had a long discussion before the quotes were printed, Mitchell said.

This is his second year on The Standard's editorial staff. Last year he was the news editor. From what he can remember, this is the first time he has been part of a decision to print expletives or racial slurs.

About 90% of the feedback from readers on the cover and accompanying article, which Mitchell wrote, has been positive, he said. News of The Standard's front page made it on the Jim Romenesko website, a national blog on media news.

"I think what really matters is that we got positive feedback from the protesters," Mitchell said. "They appreciated that we didn't sensor what was said to them."

Until writing his article, Mitchell said he did not realize the amount of racism that African-American students face. While with a small group of the protesters, he said all of them told him that they had been called the N-word even before the homecoming demonstration.

"This is something they deal with every day," he said. "I think there are people who don't know that."

As a student journalist, Mitchell said he felt a responsibility to tell their story and help start a dialogue on race relations at Missouri State.

"Discrimination and racism is unacceptable anywhere, let alone at a university that preaches cultural competence at its very foundation," The editorial by The Standard's Editorial Board read.