All Apologies: Charges Dropped Against Mother's

By Amy Perry in News on Oct 29, 2009 2:00PM

Senior class president Fernando Cutz (center) and the six students who were turned away from the bar

Last week, seniors from Washington University in St. Louis filed a civil rights complaint against the Original Mother's Night Club. But last night at a news conference, the senior class president and the other six students announced they reached an agreement with the bar and will not be pressing charges. Mother's will issue a public apology to the students and managers at the bar will undergo diversity sensitivity and awareness training. The students stressed that they are not seeking compensation from the bar. (Check out full video of the press conference here.)

Mothers will also hold four charity fundraisers, three at the bar in Chicago and one in St. Louis, and the students will determine the recipient of the funds. Senior Regis Murayi, one of the six black students rejected from the bar, suggested the whole incident was about raising the issue of race relations in the United States and said the funds will likely go to a scholarship or organization that will promote diversity issues. The students succeeded in raising awareness about racial discrimination in America, drawing national headlines and an inquiry from the FBI, and they plan to continue by leading a "massive demonstration" in Chicago in late November that will include both University students and representatives from Mother's. They said the Student Union will likely fund bus transportation for students to attend the event.

"This isn't about power, this isn't about leverage, this isn't about fighting, kicking and screaming. This is about really raising the issue about racial discrimination in America and really opening this issue moving forward," Murayi said.