Student attends diversity program prior to getting arrested for anti-Semitic comments

Harassment charges have not been filed, as of Wednesday, for two Mizzou students who were arrested for allegedly making anti-Semitic comments toward another student Tuesday.

Noah Rogers, a sophomore, and Erich Eastman, a freshman, are both music majors at Mizzou.

MU Police say the two allegedly made racial remarks verbally, and on a written note, about and toward another student.

A diversity and inclusion training lecture was required of all new undergraduate students at Mizzou, starting in January 2016, according to a statement from previous Chancellor Bowin Loften.

Eastman was required to attend; otherwise he wouldn’t be able to sign up for his second semester.

The program is called Citizenship at Mizzou and it includes brief faculty presentations, a music performance by students and a discussion of global and national identity, tying in with Mizzou’s identity.

Some freshmen at Mizzou said they barely remembered attending the seminar and could not give many specifics of what they were exposed to during the two-hour lecture.

Tim Schwall, a freshman at Mizzou, said some of the stories that were told were interesting, but he felt like he didn’t learn anything new about diversity.

“I don’t think it’s that impactful. I feel like if you are changing people’s minds, it needs to be like a class, like a full semester class. I don’t think an hour or so lecture will make a difference,” Schwall said.

Other freshmen students said it was hard to remember anything from the program because of timing. Most of the times offered were during the week students moved into residency halls, had Greek rush or were trying to get used to a new place.