The head librarian of Florida Gulf Coast University in Fort Myers apologized September 19 for ordering her public-service staff not to wear “Proud to be an American” stickers out of concern that they would offend the school’s 200 foreign students.
Her decision, which provoked widespread public outrage, was quickly rescinded by university President William C. Merwin, who said in the September 20 Fort Myers News-Press, “One employee made a terrible mistake, which I find to be reprehensible.”
Library Director Kathy Hoeth’s statement of apology called her action a bad decision that she regretted deeply for the pain it caused. She said it had been an attempt to provide an “atmosphere of tolerance and respect for the university’s diverse population.”
“My concern was that if a student comes to the desk and sees the slogan, it might make it uncomfortable,” Hoeth had said earlier. “I think we have an obligation to think about how we present ourselves. We want to ensure civility and tolerance,” she told the September 19 News-Press.
Posted September 24, 2001.