Southern Methodist University Caters To Police Hate Groups, Disrespects Fallen Hero’s Family

Southern Methodist University declared that it would be “insensitive” to honor assassinated hero, Michael Smith.

Southern Methodist University Caters To Police Hate Groups, Disrespects Fallen Hero’s Family

Victoria Smith, the 14-year-old daughter of slain hero, Dallas Police Sergeant Michael Smith, was excited to be invited by the Southern Methodist University women’s volleyball program to take part in an honorary first serve at their November 12th home game in honor of her father. But Victoria, a high school freshman and promising volleyball player in her own right, could not have imagined that politics and the school’s concern for their public image with the anti-police crowd would sway them to rescind their offer to honor her father.

“We were all excited that we got to honor him at a college I was thinking about going to”, she told CBS-DFW.

Excited until Victoria’s mother Heidi, the slain hero’s widow, received an email on Thursday from the school. The email was received two days after Donald Trump had won the presidential election, and two days before the ceremony honoring her husband was to take place. She posted this message on Facebook:

“I received the following email today from Southern Methodist Univeristy. Victoria was scheduled to serve an honorary serve at the Southern Methodist University volleyball game this Saturday to honor her Dad, Sgt. Michael Smith with the Dallas Police Department who was shot and killed on July 7th. This is the email they sent me today to back out…I had to read it to Victoria after dinner tonight.”

Subject: Smith Family

Hello again Heidi,

I regret to inform you that we will not be able to go through with the honorary first serve. In the switch between staff members and the handling of volleyball promotions, some information was not forwarded on correctly from (name omitted) to myself and I deeply apologize for that.

The volleyball program was not correctly informed that this would be taking place at the game, and feels that in light of recent events and diversity within the SMU community, that the demonstration could be deemed insensitive.

However, the coaching staff would like to still do something for Victoria and the team. They are invited to stay after the game for an autograph session with the players, if you would like.
Again, they apologize for the inconvenience and late notice, especially in regards to the sensitivity of this matter.

I do hope that you all will still join us on Saturday. If you would like to discuss this further, you can reach me at
(name and # omitted)

Calling a chance to honor a fallen hero a “demonstration which could be deemed insensitive”, by inviting his grieving child to participate in a ceremony, then cruelly rescinding that invitation is one the worst demonstrations of insensitivity we in law enforcement have witnessed.

The email left Heidi stunned. “It just broke my heart to tell her…that the invitation had been taken away,” she told CBS-DFW.

“I don’t know who made the decision. I don’t really care who made the decision at SMU,” Dallas Police Association President Frederick Frazier told Fox 4 in Dallas after the Smiths received the notice. “But the president at SMU needs to come out himself and call that little girl and tell her that this was a mistake and it was his fault and this will never happen again.”

Apparently the school felt the heat- a heat which was much more intense than what may have come from anti-police groups. Soon after notifying the Smiths in their ambiguous and insensitive message, then sent an equally ambiguous apology, and what appeared to be a hollow attempt to make things right. Heidi took to Facebook to voice her response:

“We did decide to decline SMU’s offer to reinvite her for the game today. From the information provided in the 2nd email it appeared to be damage control. While we do accept the apology, and appreciate that, Victoria at this point would have felt awkward on the court. She also felt the 2nd invitation was insincere. No one took responsibility. Blaming it on miscommunication, or the wrong channel of employees is something I would not expect from SMU”

“It’s these statements and judgments that are what is tearing us apart. We are in a time of healing. This little girl was about to do something that was going to help that process,” Frederick Frazier told Dallas News.

Victoria’s father, Sergeant Michael Smith, was one of five police officers shot and killed by a terrorist on July 7th during a Black Lives Matter march.

Heidi Smith told CBS-DFW of her daughter’s heartache after receiving the Southern Methodist University email. “She felt like her Dad’s death didn’t matter anymore.”

Your Dad’s life mattered, Victoria. We will never forget his courage and sacrifice.