A University of Tennessee and Vol Network sports reporter has resigned from her position after racists tweets from her past resurfaced earlier this week, the athletic department told Adam Sparks of Knox News.
Kasey Funderburg, a Tennessee alum, released a statement on Wednesday apologizing for her use of a racial slur in tweets from 2013 and ’14. In her apology, she called her choice of words “unacceptable and ignorant.”
“I sincerely apologize for using offensive language and to anyone I hurt or offended with those remarks,” Funderburg’s statement read. “I take full responsibility for my actions. This language is not appropriate in any context and has not been part of my vocabulary since then.”
During Tennessee’s football game against Kentucky on Saturday, the Volunteers wore alternate black uniforms. Funderburg’s old tweets resurfaced after she engaged with another Twitter user who remarked about the notion that fans should paint their faces black as well.
After Funderburg responded to that tweet denouncing the idea of fans wearing blackface, another account took screenshots of her old tweets in which she used a racial slur.
“Moving forward, I will continue my work to be a better ally so that I may promote a more inclusive society where everyone is welcome,” Funderburg wrote. “Thank you to all the University of Tennessee teams I covered, my co-workers and fans who have supported me over the years. I remain grateful.”
