By Marissa Nunez
The Huntsville Item
HUNTSVILLE, Texas — After posting an insensitive tweet last week regarding slain Harris County Sheriff’s Department Deputy Darren Goforth and kicking off a huge online uproar, Sam Houston State University student Monica Foy apologized.
The junior English major at SHSU said in a statement sent to the Houston Chronicle last week, that she “would like to apologize profusely to every person who was offended by my words, but especially to Darren Goforth’s family and friends — whose heartbreak I cannot begin to fathom, and to the law enforcement community.”
Foy continued, “My statement and my choice of words were without the sensitivity that this tragedy calls for. I hope for nothing but peace and comfort for those in mourning, and cannot express how deeply I regret adding to their pain.
“To the individual officers who have showed the utmost kindness and professionalism in protecting the safety of my family and friends, who have suffered due to my actions: I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your ability to see past any bias you may hold against me and to continue to protect and serve the communities in your charge.
“I have a strong belief in the value of every human life, and believe that the American justice system, when free of corruption and abuse of power, safeguards the inherent dignity and worth of every life it touches. I again thank you for leading by example.”
The tweet, which landed Foy in hot water, questioned why people were not asking what Goforth did before he was gunned down by Shannon Miles while filling his patrol car with gasoline on Aug. 28.
After receiving death threats and hundreds of comments from social media users, Foy quickly deleted the comment, as well as both of her Twitter and Facebook accounts. However, a screenshot was taken of the post by a fellow Twitter user before Foy was able to delete the post, which was then shared by thousands online, spreading like wildfire.
The post caused many people to call on SHSU to take some form of disciplinary action against Foy, with some calling for her expulsion.
SHSU President Dana G. Hoyt said in a statement released Saturday that university administration spent much time deliberating the incident to see if Foy had violated the Student Code of Conduct, ultimately deciding not to take any action against Foy.
“The path of least resistance would be to take disciplinary action against Ms. Foy. Many in the public have called for us to do so. But the legal rights conferred on every American citizen and the code of conduct that governs SHSU students says otherwise,” Hoyt said.
“A personal comment made on a private social media account, as offensive as it was, remains protected by the First Amendment. Offensive speech is still protected speech. As an institution that is responsible for educating generations of students in criminal justice and the order of law, we must stand behind those teachings.”
Hoyt continued, “Ms. Foy has issued an apology and will have to live with the consequences of her actions. Our response maintains both our academic integrity and upholds the Constitution of the United States of America. Sometimes the right choice is not always the most popular decision. Thank you for standing together as Bearkats and supporting the values that Sam Houston State University has honored for more than a century.”
Copyright 2015 The Huntsville Item