Stephanie Mills Shows Support to Phylicia Rashad After Howard Students and Alumni Call for Her To be Fired
Singer Stephanie Mills showed support of her friend, actress and Howard University’s dean Phylicia Rashad, on July 3 after the university’s students and alumni called for her firing following her celebratory tweet about Bill Cosby’s overturned sexual assault conviction. The initial Instagram post comes days following Rashad’s issued apology. She stated that her post wasn’t “intended to be insensitive” to those who are survivors of sexual assault after backlash from social media and the public. The tweet read, “I fully support survivors of sexual assault coming forward. My post was in no way intended to be insensitive to their truth. Personally, I know from friends and family that such abuse has lifelong residual effects. My heartfelt wish is for healing.” Following that statement, Howard University students and alumni called for Rashad to be fired from her dean position of the College of Fine Arts.
Mills questioned Howard University’s moral consistency if it is considering terminating Rashad for her comments on Cosby’s release. She said if Rashad has crossed a line with her Cosby comments the university should give back the millions Cosby donated to the school.
“I love you, @phyliciarashad ❤️❤️❤️. If it’s true that Howard University wants to terminate her Position because they feel her comments about Mr. Cosby were insensitive, then they should give back the millions of dollars that he donated to the university.”
Despite Cosby being awarded an honorary degree from Howard University in 1989, it is uncertain how much he did donate to the HBCU prior to his 2018 conviction.
Cosby, was initially given a three-to-10 year sentence for allegedly drugging and sexually assaulting Andrea Constand in 2004, was released from prison on June 30 after the Pennsylvania Supreme Court overturned his sexual assault conviction because of his previous standing non-prosecution agreement with former Montgomery County District Attorney Bruce Castor.
After Cosby’s release prison, Rashad shared in a now-deleted tweet, “FINALLY!!!! A terrible wrong is being righted- a miscarriage of justice is corrected.”
Mills’ post started making its rounds on social media many fans expressed how they agreed with the vocalist’s stance.
“If ‘Keep that same energy’ was an auntie 🤣🔥.”
“In other words, don’t be fake mad!”
“Howard coughing as we speak 😂”
“Ooopp! She got a point.”
Howard University’s students and alumni views on wanting Rashad fired, the HBCU has yet to address these termination calls in an official statement. After her tweet went viral Rashad confirmed in an email sent out to Howard University’s parents and students that she would participate in training that “reinforces University’s protocol and conduct” and to also “become a stronger ally to sexual assault survivors.”
“My remarks were in no way directed towards survivors of sexual assault. I vehemently oppose sexual violence, find no excuse for such behavior, and I know that Howard University has a zero-tolerance policy toward interpersonal violence” she wrote. Rashad added she will “to engage in active listening and participate in trainings to not only reinforce University protocol and conduct, but also to learn how I can become a stronger ally to sexual assault survivors and everyone who has suffered at the hands of an abuser.”