Pitt To Drop CEDA Debating, Suspends Reid-Brinkley

From http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/cityregion/s_588742.html

Pitt dropping from debates after YouTube rant

By Joe Mandak
ASSOCIATED PRESS WRITER
Wednesday, September 17, 2008

A University of Pittsburgh debate coach is limiting her contact with the team and issued an apology for cursing at another coach who dropped his pants while arguing with her at a national championship tournament, an encounter that was recorded and posted on YouTube.

The Pitt professor, Shanara Reid-Brinkley, won't travel with the team or coach in tournaments this academic year, the school announced Wednesday. The school also has withdrawn from debate tournaments conducted by the national group that sponsored the championship tournament.

"Despite serious provocation, such language was unprofessional. I apologize for any embarrassment I have caused the university," Reid-Brinkley said in statement issued by the school.

The apology refers to an expletive-filled argument at the Cross Examination Debate Association's national championship tournament in March.

The argument occurred after the Fort Hays State University team d ismissed Reid-Brinkley, who is black, as a judge of a match between it and Towson University. The Towson debate team and Reid-Brinkley called the decision to remove a black female judge an act of "white hegemony."

A video of the argument, posted on YouTube last month, showed Fort Hays State debate coach Bill Shanahan, 47, in an angry confrontation with Reid-Brinkley. Shanahan, who is white, at one point drops his shorts, exposing his underwear, and points his rear end at Reid-Brinkley.

Pitt said in the statement that "unacceptable behavior was on display in ways that are not compatible with Pitt's standards for participation by our representatives in varsity competitions."

As a result, Pitt will not participate in tournaments conducted by the Cross Examination Debate Association, a major college sanctioning body, until that group completes a "behavior-improvement initiative" aimed at eliminating such incidents.

Reid-Brinkley "will not travel with competitive debate teams or act as a tournament coach this academic year," the statement said.

A Pitt spokesman declined to comment beyond the statement. It was unclear if Reid-Brinkley had been suspended as coach or is just not traveling with the team this year. It also is unclear if the debate team will compete in tournaments sponsored by a different sanctioning body.

Reid-Brinkley and Chancellor Mark Nordenberg did not return messages.