Aneesah Morrow #24 of the LSU Tigers over Hannah Stuelke #45 of the Iowa Hawkeyes during the first half in the Elite 8 round of the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament at MVP Arena on April 01, 2024 in Albany, New York. (Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry has called on the state’s higher education boards to adopt policies that would strip scholarships from athletes not present for the national anthem at the start of a game.
“It is time that all college boards, including Regent [sic], put a policy in place that student athletes be present for the national anthem or risk their athletic scholarship! This is a matter of respect that all collegiate coaches should instill,” Landry posted on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter.
My mother coached women’s high school basketball during the height of desegregation, no one has a greater respect for the sport and for Coach Mulkey. However, above respect for that game is a deeper respect for those that serve to protect us and unite us under one flag !
It is…
— Jeff Landry (@JeffLandry) April 2, 2024
“I see some difficulties in trying to enforce something like that,” University of Louisiana System Board of Supervisors Chair Jimmy Clarke said, adding he understood Landry was trying to respect the anthem.
When contacted for comment, Commissioner of Higher Education Kim Hunter Reed pointed out decisions about scholarships are made entirely at the campus level and that the Board of Regents plays no role.
A spokesperson from the LSU system has not yet responded to requests for comment.
Landry’s comments stem from a viral clip of the “Star-Spangled Banner” played before Monday’s LSU-Iowa women’s basketball game in the NCAA Tournament. It showed Iowa’s team on the court but not LSU.
In a postgame news conference, LSU coach Kim Mulkey said it was not intentional. The Tigers, the defending women’s basketball national champions, lost to the Iowa Hawkeyes 94-87.
“Honestly, I don’t even know when the anthem was played,” Mulkey told reporters. “We kind of have a routine where we are on the floor, then they come off at the 12-minute mark.”
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The clip was viewed millions of times on social media after it was shared by the far-right account Libs of TikTok, which posts derogatory comments about liberal and LGBTQ+ individuals.
Both LSU basketball teams and its football team remain in the locker room during a portion of pregame events that includes the national anthem, putting dozens of athletes at risk of losing their scholarships.
“Our basketball programs have not been on the court for the anthem for the last several seasons,” LSU athletics spokesperson Cody Worsham said in a statement. “Usually the anthem is played 12 minutes before the game when the team is in the locker room doing final preparations.”
A similar situation occurred in 2017 when unnamed Louisiana legislators threatened LSU’s funding if players kneeled during the national anthem. Kneeling during the anthem at athletics events spurred a heated political debate after NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick did so in 2016 in protest of police brutality against Black people.
The threat was withdrawn after then-LSU President F. King Alexander reminded lawmakers the football team remained in the locker room during the anthem, The Advocate reported.
Similar protests have largely been absent from major college athletics programs. Many college athletics programs keep their athletes off the field or court during the anthem.
Landry’s comments come just days after an ally in the Legislature introduced a bill that would give him further control over higher education.
Senate Bill 403, by Sen. Mike Fesi, R-Houma, would give the governor the sole power to appoint the chairs of each of the state’s four higher education governing boards and the Commissioner of Higher Education.
Presently, chairs of the four system boards are elected from among their members, which the governor primarily appoints. The Commissioner of Higher Education is hired by the Board of Regents, which oversees the four higher systems.
Landry spokesperson Kate Kelly told The Advocate Landry is supporting the bill because people in Louisiana want change in higher education.
“This legislation is not about trying to get rid of anyone,” Kelly said. “It’s about ensuring our universities are responsive to the people.”
If Landry could install allies as chair, it would be easier to convince the boards to adopt a scholarship-stripping policy as they set the agenda for board meetings.
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by Piper Hutchinson, Louisiana Illuminator
April 2, 2024
by Piper Hutchinson, Louisiana Illuminator
April 2, 2024
Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry has called on the state’s higher education boards to adopt policies that would strip scholarships from athletes not present for the national anthem at the start of a game.
“It is time that all college boards, including Regent [sic], put a policy in place that student athletes be present for the national anthem or risk their athletic scholarship! This is a matter of respect that all collegiate coaches should instill,” Landry posted on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter.
My mother coached women’s high school basketball during the height of desegregation, no one has a greater respect for the sport and for Coach Mulkey. However, above respect for that game is a deeper respect for those that serve to protect us and unite us under one flag !
It is…
— Jeff Landry (@JeffLandry) April 2, 2024
“I see some difficulties in trying to enforce something like that,” University of Louisiana System Board of Supervisors Chair Jimmy Clarke said, adding he understood Landry was trying to respect the anthem.
When contacted for comment, Commissioner of Higher Education Kim Hunter Reed pointed out decisions about scholarships are made entirely at the campus level and that the Board of Regents plays no role.
A spokesperson from the LSU system has not yet responded to requests for comment.
Landry’s comments stem from a viral clip of the “Star-Spangled Banner” played before Monday’s LSU-Iowa women’s basketball game in the NCAA Tournament. It showed Iowa’s team on the court but not LSU.
In a postgame news conference, LSU coach Kim Mulkey said it was not intentional. The Tigers, the defending women’s basketball national champions, lost to the Iowa Hawkeyes 94-87.
“Honestly, I don’t even know when the anthem was played,” Mulkey told reporters. “We kind of have a routine where we are on the floor, then they come off at the 12-minute mark.”
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The clip was viewed millions of times on social media after it was shared by the far-right account Libs of TikTok, which posts derogatory comments about liberal and LGBTQ+ individuals.
Both LSU basketball teams and its football team remain in the locker room during a portion of pregame events that includes the national anthem, putting dozens of athletes at risk of losing their scholarships.
“Our basketball programs have not been on the court for the anthem for the last several seasons,” LSU athletics spokesperson Cody Worsham said in a statement. “Usually the anthem is played 12 minutes before the game when the team is in the locker room doing final preparations.”
A similar situation occurred in 2017 when unnamed Louisiana legislators threatened LSU’s funding if players kneeled during the national anthem. Kneeling during the anthem at athletics events spurred a heated political debate after NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick did so in 2016 in protest of police brutality against Black people.
The threat was withdrawn after then-LSU President F. King Alexander reminded lawmakers the football team remained in the locker room during the anthem, The Advocate reported.
Similar protests have largely been absent from major college athletics programs. Many college athletics programs keep their athletes off the field or court during the anthem.
Landry’s comments come just days after an ally in the Legislature introduced a bill that would give him further control over higher education.
Senate Bill 403, by Sen. Mike Fesi, R-Houma, would give the governor the sole power to appoint the chairs of each of the state’s four higher education governing boards and the Commissioner of Higher Education.
Presently, chairs of the four system boards are elected from among their members, which the governor primarily appoints. The Commissioner of Higher Education is hired by the Board of Regents, which oversees the four higher systems.
Landry spokesperson Kate Kelly told The Advocate Landry is supporting the bill because people in Louisiana want change in higher education.
“This legislation is not about trying to get rid of anyone,” Kelly said. “It’s about ensuring our universities are responsive to the people.”
If Landry could install allies as chair, it would be easier to convince the boards to adopt a scholarship-stripping policy as they set the agenda for board meetings.
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Louisiana Illuminator is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Louisiana Illuminator maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Greg LaRose for questions: info@lailluminator.com. Follow Louisiana Illuminator on Facebook and Twitter.
Our stories may be republished online or in print under Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. We ask that you edit only for style or to shorten, provide proper attribution and link to our web site. AP and Getty images may not be republished. Please see our republishing guidelines for use of any other photos and graphics.
Piper Hutchinson is a reporter for the Louisiana Illuminator. She has covered the Legislature and state government extensively for the LSU Manship News Service and The Reveille, where she was named editor in chief for summer 2022.
Louisiana Illuminator is part of States Newsroom, the nation’s largest state-focused nonprofit news organization.
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© Louisiana Illuminator, 2024
The Louisiana Illuminator is an independent, nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization with a mission to cast light on how decisions in Baton Rouge are made and how they affect the lives of everyday Louisianians. Our in-depth investigations and news stories, news briefs and commentary help residents make sense of how state policies help or hurt them and their neighbors statewide.
We’re part of States Newsroom, the nation’s largest state-focused nonprofit news organization.
Our stories may be republished online or in print under Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. We ask that you edit only for style or to shorten, provide proper attribution and link to our website.
