USC Responds to Taraji P. Henson’s Claim Her Son Was Racially Profiled on Campus

In the February issue of Uptown Magazine, Taraji P. Henson detailed how her 20-year-old son Marcel was racially profiled on the campus of the University of Southern California.

She told the magazine:

“My child has been racially profiled. He was in Glendale, California and did exactly everything the cops told him to do, including letting them illegally search his car. It was bogus because they didn’t give him the ticket for what he was pulled over for. Then he’s at University of Southern California, the school that I was going to transfer him to, when police stopped him for having his hands in his pockets. So guess where he’s going? Howard University. I’m not paying $50K so I can’t sleep at night wondering is this the night my son is getting racially profiled on campus.”

Now, USC’s Department of Public Safety Director John Thomas is speaking out about Taraji and her son’s experience.

“I was deeply disturbed to read news reports about a prospective student who felt profiled on or near campus because of his race. We encourage reporting of allegations of bias and I hope for the opportunity to have a conversation with the young man and his mother.

I would like to look into this matter further and better understand who was involved and what took place. As someone who personally experienced racial profiling as a teenager, I have a stake in learning more about this incident and doing all I can to reach a just resolution.

It is not clear to me which police departments were involved. Any allegation of bias or unequal treatment by university officers would trigger an investigation that I would supervise along with the university’s Office of Equity and Diversity. It is my expectation and that of the university that our department uphold the highest standards of constitutional policing, affording equal rights and respect to all persons.”

With everything going on in the world right now, we don’t blame Taraji for wanting to make sure her son is in a safe environment. What are your thoughts on the situation?

[via E!]