A racially offensive ad has been removed by the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee after receiving critical backlash from alumni, students and people on social media.

According to U.S. News and World Report, the controversial ad, which was designed to promote the university’s criminal justice program, shows a Black student with crime scene tape wrapped around her neck.

“It just seems sometimes there’s not someone in the room saying, ‘Hey, we should think about this for just an extra second,’” UWM student Nate Rosek told WTMJ. “A person of color with crime tape around her neck. It gives you a bit of another thought.”

Others say they are not offended by the posters, particularly because students volunteered to be depicted that way in the advertisement.

UMW released a statement in response to the controversy.

“The ad is part of a series created by UWM’s Helen Bader School of Social Welfare to encourage students to enroll in the school’s introductory criminal justice class," the statement read.

"The ad series includes students of different races and ethnicities, and police tape was used as a prop in an effort to add interest to the photos. The students the school worked with on the ad agreed with the approach, and it was never anyone’s intent to offend or diminish the impact of violence in our community. We recognize now that the approach was inappropriate, and we sincerely apologize. We are removing the ads from circulation and will not use them again.”

University-of-Wisconsin-Milwaukee

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