photo by: Journal-World Photo Illustration

Lawrence Journal-World Editorial

Attorney General Jeff Sessions missed the mark in his comments Tuesday about students at the University of Kansas.

Speaking to a high school leadership summit in Washington, D.C., Sessions criticized universities for coddling young people and preventing them from scrutinizing the validity of their beliefs. He specifically attacked universities for events held in the wake of Donald Trump’s election victory in November 2016.

“After the 2016 election, for example, they held a ‘cry-in’ at Cornell. I hope they had plenty of tissues for them to cry on,” Sessions said. “They had therapy dogs at the University of Kansas. Play-Doh and coloring books at the University of Michigan for heaven’s sakes. You know, give me a break. Students at Tufts were encouraged to ‘draw about their feelings.'”

We can’t speak to the events at Cornell, Michigan and Tufts, but the therapy dogs at KU had nothing to do with the 2016 election. Rather, the therapy dogs were brought in in December to give students — regardless of who they supported in the election — the opportunity to relieve stress during the week of final exams.

The use of therapy dogs as stress relievers is certainly not unique to KU. Universities across the country commonly use such programs during exam weeks. Even Sessions’ alma mater — Huntingdon College in Montgomery, Alabama — hosts something called Pets on the Porch in which puppies are brought in for students to spend time with during finals week. And the practice isn’t limited to higher education — therapy dogs are also frequently used at hospitals and retirement communities. Perhaps Sessions believes that the sick and elderly are being coddled because they get enjoyment from spending a few hours with man’s best friend?

At best, Sessions or his staff failed to adequately research the therapy dog event at KU. At worst, Sessions purposely twisted the facts to paint KU students with a broad but wildly inaccurate brush. Either way, the attorney general of the United States should know better.

Given his boss’ disdain for apologies and adamant refusal to ever admit a mistake, it’s doubtful Sessions will do the right thing and apologize to the University of Kansas and its students. But certainly such an apology is warranted.