Brite Divinity Award for Reverend Jeremiah Wright

Fort Worth, TX

3/19/2008

The following statements were issued by TCU in regard to Brite Divnity School's award for Reverend Jeremiah Wright. The first statement was issued on March 17; the second statement was issued March 19.

Statement from TCU

March 19, 2008

The executive committee of TCU’s Board of Trustees today voted, and Brite Divinity School leadership agreed, to move the Divinity School’s Black Church Summit events off campus in light of security issues noted by Campus Police and the Fort Worth Police Department. The Divinity School will announce the new location of the event.

Luther King, chairman of the board, agreed that while the University should be a place where controversial opinions are freely expressed, the safety and security of students, faculty and staff are the primary concern of the Board.

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Statement from TCU’s Chancellor Victor J. Boschini, Jr. regarding Brite Divinity School’s award for Reverend Jeremiah Wright

March 17, 2008

Brite Divinity School is a separate corporation with its own president, executive officers and board of trustees. Brite is giving this award, not TCU and Brite’s leadership will make its own decisions.

As a university, TCU supports the right of free speech even when the opinions expressed are controversial. That is what a university is about. But giving an award is another matter, and in this specific case in light of Reverend Wright’s recently discovered remarks, TCU would not give such an award.