Ole Miss mother condemns freshman's withdrawal after racist video incident

A mother of a Black University of Mississippi freshman said she was upset that her daughter, Alaina Kunes, withdrew from the campus after a video showing three white co-eds making monkey noises and gestures outside the apartment went viral. The parent told CBS Mornings, "I hate that she withdrew from the school. ... It bothers me because I don’t like to see kids just started, these babies, they’re 18."

Kunes, an 18-year-old from Wisconsin, cited safety and harassment concerns as the reason for leaving the university less than three months into the fall semester. A fellow freshman who lives in the same residence said the decision was appropriate for Kunes’s “peace and safety.”

Kunes issued an apology through the law firm Gardiner Koch Weisberg & Wrona, stating, "To the women I offended and to the Ole Miss community, I sincerely apologize. Before the incident on November 6, I never met the women involved and was unaware of their race, however, I recognize my actions were insensitive, inappropriate, and deeply harmful."

The incident, recorded on November 6, showed two women approaching the apartment door, one beating her chest and making monkey sounds while another repeated the sounds. The clip sparked widespread outrage on social media. Shawnboda Mead, the university’s vice chancellor for student affairs, called the video “deeply troubling, hurtful, and unacceptable,” adding that it does not reflect the university’s values. Mead said the university is conducting an active investigation and is committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of the campus community.

Kunes is the granddaughter of Gregg Kunes, owner of the Kunes Auto Group, which operates about 50 dealerships in the Midwest.