Phylicia Rashad Apologizes To Howard University Students After Cosby Backlash

A celebratory tweet from Phylicia Rashad about Bill Cosby’s rape conviction being overturned has created a big headache for Howard University, where the acclaimed actress has been named dean of the university’s College of Fine Arts.

Following news of her one-time TV husband’s release from prison on Wednesday, Rashad tweeted, “FINALLY!!!! A terrible wrong is being righted- a miscarriage of justice is corrected!”

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That tweet was hit with backlash, leading Rashad — who played Claire Huxtable for eight seasons of “The Cosby Show” — to delete it and issue another. “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,” she wrote.

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.

— Phylicia Rashad (@PhyliciaRashad) June 30, 2021

Despite walking back her initial tweet, the New York Post reported that outraged Howard students are demanding she be fired.

In response, the university issued a statement decrying her tweet, which “lacked sensitivity towards survivors of sexual assault,” and insisting that her “personal positions… do not reflect Howard University’s policies.

As calls continue for her firing, CNN reports that Rashad has responded with a letter to Howard students, offering her “most sincere apology” to students.

“My remarks were in no way directed towards survivors of sexual assault,” Rashad wrote.

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“I vehemently oppose sexual violence, find no excuse for such behaviour, and I know that Howard University has a zero-tolerance policy toward interpersonal violence,” she added.

Rashad also wrote that she had deleted “that upsetting tweet,” and over the next few weeks promises “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.”