Drake University volunteer hockey coach Jessie Rudin has been fired after a social media post surfaced of Rudin posing next to a man dressed as Adolf Hitler for Halloween.
According to The New York Post, the photo was taken at Miss Kitty’s, a bar in Clive, Iowa, the weekend of October 31. Drake University dismissed Rudin just a few days later, saying her “behavior was completely inconsistent with the university’s values.”
“Drake University unequivocally condemns all forms of hate speech and discriminatory symbolism,” said vice president and dean of students Jerry Parker, Ph.D. “Such behavior stands in direct opposition to our values of respect, inclusion, and integrity.”
Rudin was also a former Bulldogs student-athlete who competed for Drake University’s club hockey team. The Bulldogs currently compete in the American Collegiate Hockey Association’s Division III group and are raising funds for the upcoming season.
The costumed man photographed with Rudin was later identified as a local business owner, Donnie Gardner, who said he dressed as the German dictator for “shock value” and not because he supports the Nazi party.
Said Gardner, “I am dreadfully sorry to anyone caught in the crosshairs and suffering from photos or interactions with me Friday night as any and all hatred should be pointed at myself and myself only. I take full responsibility for the repercussions and will continue to face them head on.”
