Petition Garners Over 1,600 Signatures for Removal of Ed Meek’s Name from Journalism School

After severe backlash from the University of Mississippi student body, faculty and alumni, Raven Francomano— a senior public policy and political science major of the university—created a petition through Change.com titled “Remove Ed Meek’s Name From the Ole Miss School of Journalism.”

The petition was created in response to Meek’s now deleted social media post, which referenced two Black females and had alleged racial undertones. Meek, a Meek School of Journalism and New Media donor, has since deleted the post, but not before it went viral sparking rage from the LOU community.

The post came from Meek’s personal Facebook account.

“The actions of Ed Meek have not only violated basic ethics of journalism,” Francomano wrote in the petition, “but have also contributed to the notion that racism is alive and well at the University of Mississippi, despite the University’s consistent efforts to reconcile its shameful past.”

As of 1 p.m. Thursday the petition exceeded its 1,500 signature goal with 1,645. The goal is now 2,500 signatures. 

Photo via change.org.

Those who signed the petition also wrote comments advocating for the removal of Meek’s name from the building.

President of the University of Mississippi College Democrats Jaz Brisack wrote she signed the petition because “Ed Meek’s blatant racism and misogyny should not be celebrated on our campus.”

Photo via Change.org

Meek, the former owner of Hottytoddy.com, later deleted the Facebook post and issued and apology:

“I apologize to those offended by my post,” he wrote. “My intent was to point out we have a problem in The Grove and on the Oxford Square.”

However, he removed the apology a short time after posting it.

hottytoddy.com staff report