Phylicia Rashad has written a formal apology to Howard University for her insensitive defense of Bill Cosby last week.
Rashad has been appointed as Howard University’s dean of the College of Fine Arts. The position became effective on July 1.
Last week, Cosby was freed after spending over two years behind bars for the sexual assault of Andrea Constand. Despite being let out on a legal technicality, Rashad took to Twitter to write:
“FINALLY!!!! A terrible wrong is being righted – a miscarriage of justice is corrected!” she wrote. Rashad turned the comments off the post, which featured an image of Cosby’s face.
The tweet spawned immediate social media backlash, with some calling for her position at the university to be revoked. Rashad apologized on Twitter, adding that she was not trying to dismiss the experiences of the alleged victims.
In a recent letter to the university, the “Cosby Show” actress wrote:
“I offer my most sincere apology. I have since removed that upsetting tweet,” Rashad wrote in an email shared to Twitter.
Rashad recognized acknowledged that the tweet she shared this week “caused so much hurt in so many people,” adding that she “vehemently” opposes sexual violence of any kind. She vows to be a stronger ally.
“The most important role I have ever played in my life is that to mother of my children,” Rashad wrote. “Though they are adults now, I still feel that primal instinct to protect them. This is the same feeling that I hold for Howard University and each of her students.”
After the apology email was shared online, Cosby issued a statement, attacking Howard and throwing his support behind Rashad.
“Those same Media Insurrectionists are trying to demolish the Constitution of these United State of America on this Independence Day,” the statement released by Cosby’s rep Andrew Wyatt continued. “No technicality — it’s a violation of ones rights & we the people stand in support of Ms. Phylicia Rashad.”
