Rutgers Back in Hot Water for Rescinding Paralyzed Student’s Speaking Invitation

Rutgers University continues to struggle through a bout of bad publicity in the wake of a controversial decision to allow former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to back out of a commencement speaking engagement under pressure from the school’s students and teaching staff. The university then approached Eric LeGrand, a former student and a football player who was paralyzed on the field, to speak in Rice’s place. The university then rescinded LeGrand’s invitation just 48 hours later when they learned that former New Jersey Gov. Tom Kean agreed to speak.

“I just want an explanation,” the former NFL prospect told NJ.com after saying he was “hurt” by the school’s move. “I wish somebody would have given me a call tonight and explained to me why. Then I can understand, but don’t just leave me hanging.”

RELATED: Condoleezza Rice Backs Out of Rutgers Speech After Campus Protests

LeGrand said that Greg Jackson, University President Robert Barchi’s chief of staff, contacted him on the day Rice backed out of the engagement and offered him her slot. LeGrand said that he was left with the impression that his invitation to speak was largely a settled matter.

“You have no idea how much I’ve been thinking about it,” the football player, who was paralyzed in 2010, continued. “I was thinking all weekend long about what I could share with the students, my experiences.”

On Monday afternoon, however, LeGrand received a call from his athletic director telling him that the school had gone in another direction.

“LeGrand said Jackson didn’t answer two phone calls on Monday night,” NJ.com reported. “Rutgers officials didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment on Monday night.”

[h/t JWF]

[Image via Eduardo Munoz / Reuters]

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