Albright College agrees to reinstate players cut from football team

READING, Pa. (WPVI) -- All three Albright College football players kicked off the team for their actions during the national anthem earlier this month have now been offered reinstatement.

The school's President said in addition to a strong reaction from students she received greater clarity about what happened.

She says larger issues of social and racial injustice must be addressed.

Professional and college football players as well as athletes in other sports have been kneeling or protesting during the anthem. The movement was started by former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick last season over his view of police treatment of black males.

Excerpt from the Statement issued by Albright College:

During the past week you have received two communications from me regarding events occurring at the Delaware Valley University football game last week. I have heard from many of you and I appreciate and understand your strong emotions around the many intertwined and complicated issues.

Ongoing review of the details surrounding the game's events has provided greater clarity. What we understood to be shared agreement among players, student leaders, and coaches has not been adequately supported. As a result, each of the students dismissed from the football team for failure to comply with the team's shared agreement established for that day has been offered reinstatement to the team.

While we focused on the issue of trust and shared agreement on a football field, much larger issues of social and racial injustice were brought into the spotlight. These must be addressed. We are moving forward quickly and aggressively with a program that will engage our entire community, one that actively supports the full participation of all community members.

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