Melissa Click, the (now former) assistant professor of communication at the University of Missouri, told investigators that she threatened to sic some “muscle” on a student journalist because she thought he had a gun.
Whatever you say, former professor.
Click was fired Wednesday by Mizzou’s Board of Curators, several months after she was filmed protesting at the campus and trying to get other protesters to intimidate a student journalist.
Click told investigators that the student journalist, Mark Schierbecker, appeared threatening when he approached her inside the perimeter of protesters. Click, who had a courtesy appointment at the Missouri School of Journalism at the time (she resigned after she was filmed), also claimed she did not believe Schierbecker when he said he was a member of the media. Click did not believe him because he had a small camera that appeared unprofessional to her.
Again, Click was assisting in the school of journalism, apparently not understanding that in today’s world of citizen journalists and cell phone cameras, one does not need a full news crew to be a member of the “media.”
Click told investigators she was concerned that Schierbecker might have a gun because the Missouri Legislature had recently passed a law allowing students to carry concealed firearms on campus.
Let’s step back for a moment. Click allegedly thought the student had a gun, so her response was to bring other students into the situation, possibly putting them in harm’s way.
Also, Missouri did not pass a law allowing concealed firearms on campus. A month after the incident, a state senator introduced such a bill.
Click then walked back her statements, saying she “never believed” the student “definitely had a gun,” but believed he “could have and that my fears about his intentions shaped my actions.”
Note to self: Pray Click is never in an actual dangerous situation, because her first instincts are to put more people in danger.
Click also said she “knew” no such concealed carry law had been passed in the legislature, but that at the time of the interview with investigators, it was being debated.
Click was charged in January with 3rd degree assault for her actions toward another student journalist.
Ashe Schow is a commentary writer for the Washington Examiner.
