I am writing to say that I was deeply disappointed with the reporting found in the November 10th issue of The University News in the article “The Comeback Kid.”

Let’s not forget the very large scandal Kwamain Mitchell was involved in last year. To gloss over his much talked about scandal in which he was accused, along with fellow Billiken Basketball player Willie Reed, of sexually assaulting a female student on campus, is poor journalism. This scandal was the subject of many stories (including a frontpage spread, and letters to the editor in The University News, The Riverfront Times and many other St. Louis news outlets. With this in mind, I must question the journalism involved in summarizing this year-long conflict with the sentence, “Mitchell returned to SLU in the spring 2011 semester after being suspended for the fall 2010 semester for violation of a school policy.”

Such a vague statement makes no distinction as to whether the school policy which Mitchell had violated was being accused of sexual misconduct or merely having too many books overdue at the library.

On ethical grounds, I take issue with the article’s glorification of such a controversial figure. On journalistic grounds, I take issue with its ignoring such a huge story that had already garnered such attention in the St. Louis community. Surely it deserves more of a reference than simply stating that Mitchell had “violated a school policy.”

While I regret that the young female involved in the incident won’t have her own chance at being a “comeback kid,” considering she has long since transferred from the University, I regret even more that a writer of The University News has overlooked and, indeed, ignored a story which deserves far more investigative journalism than it was given, whether Mitchell is guilty or innocent.

– Vinnie Schneider is a junior in the College of Arts and Sciences.