Daily Texan criticized for Trayvon cartoon

Houston Chronicle ^ | March 28, 2012 | Peggy Fikac

[Cincinatus' Wife]

AUSTIN - The Daily Texan's editorial board apologized Wednesday for running an editorial cartoon that referred to Trayvon Martin, an unarmed black teenager shot and killed in Florida, as a "colored boy."

The cartoonist, Stephanie Eisner of The Woodlands, apologized separately. She no longer works for the University of Texas' student newspaper, according to the board.

The editorial board said it will take steps, including requiring all newspaper employees to take part in a seminar each semester "about the relationship between race and the media."

"We sincerely apologize for publishing the offensive cartoon and for the harm that decision caused," the apology read.

.................Eisner apologized for what she said was "in hindsight an ambiguous cartoon."

"I intended to contribute thoughtful commentary on the media coverage of the incident, however this goal fell flat," she said in a statement. "I would like to make it explicitly clear that I am not a racist and that I am personally appalled by the killing of Trayvon Martin."

Audrey White, the Daily Texan's managing editor, said she hopes "to reach out to the university community for input on how The Daily Texan covers race and racism."

"I also want the Texan be more active in recruiting staff members with diverse backgrounds and points of view," White said by email.

The cartoon was temporarily pulled from the newspaper's website Tuesday afternoon to keep the site from crashing, according to an editor's note, but it was then reposted.

[Terry Mross]

The lady announced she’s not a racist. Would anyone in this day and age admit to being a racist?