SMU Backs Out Of Plan To Honor DPD Officer
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DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) - A local university heads into the weekend doing spin control after backing out of a plan to honor a fallen Dallas officer.
It started as an idea to honor a father who was also a Dallas Police officer killed during the July 7th sniper attack.
But it turned into an insult that left Sgt. Michael Smith's teenage daughter embarrassed and angry.
Victoria Smith, 14, plays volleyball at Newman Smith High School in Carrollton. Recently, the SMU Women's Volleyball team extended an invitation for her to make an honorary first serve at Saturday's game. Then on Thursday, his widow Heidi Faith Smith received an email that left her stunned.
"It just broke my heart to tell her…that the invitation had been taken away," says Heidi Smith. In the email, Smith was told that "in light of recent events and diversity within the SMU community, that the demonstration could be deemed insensitive."
Smith admits that she was hurt. But, that's not all. "I was angry… but, then, I saw fear behind it. I felt the the decision was made out of fear."
The statement neglected to answer the question—insensitive to whom?
"Hard to find a student or anyone who would not be in support of that, just doesn't make sense,' says SMU Senior Sara Habbas. Habbas says Dallas is home, so the sniper attack affected her deeply. And she's disappointed in her university's handling of an invitation extended to comfort the fallen officer's family.
"I'm mind boggled that they would take it back," adds Farah Qutub, also a Senior at SMU. Both students identify as minority—and insist that you can value both black lives and the lives of those who wear blue. And the grieving family of a fallen officer agrees.
Meanwhile, the social media reaction to the rescinded invitation was swift. And harsh. Within hours, SMU apologized and asked Smith's daughter,Victoria, to once again make the honorary first serve. At this writing, Victoria has declined. However, the family says they accept the apology.
"I'm a firm believer in forgiveness, and accepting apologies," says Smith, "we all make mistakes."
A SMU spokesperson blamed the situation on a breakdown in communication. Smith says although she accepted the apology, it would have appeared more sincere had the university not made excuses.
"Sometimes when you say 'I'm sorry—but…' it kind of takes away from the apology," says Smith. "If they'd just said 2-3 sentences…we're very sorry this happened. We hope we can make it up to you, please come and let us make this right. That's not what happened though."
Victoria has a renewed offer to hit the first serve.
But until she gets a better explanation this is her response.
"I will not set foot in that gym unless I'm with another school playing them," says Victoria, "telling me I cannot honor my dad who has fallen in the line of duty makes me angry."
In a statement the Dallas Police Association demanded SMU's president also offer a better explanation about what happened and called the apology "apathetic and insincere".
