University of Oklahoma condemns racist fraternity video

University of Oklahoma condemns racist fraternity video Mar 9, 2015 22:42:39 GMT

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Post by Admin on Mar 9, 2015 22:42:39 GMT

Responding to a video that allegedly shows members of its University of Oklahoma chapter chanting racist slurs about African-Americans and lynching, the national office of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity has closed the chapter and suspended its members. The video reportedly captured a scene of members of the fraternity, dressed in formalwear, chanting slurs as they rode on a chartered bus. It surfaced Sunday, immediately drawing wide condemnation for the chant's mention of lynching and the promise that the fraternity will never have a black member.

"To those who have misused their free speech in such a reprehensible way, I have a message for you. You are disgraceful," says University of Oklahoma President David Boren. "You have violated all that we stand for." He added, "Real Sooners love each other and take care of each other like family members." Boren said he has ordered all ties severed between the school and the SAE chapter, stating, "I direct that the house be closed and that members will remove their personal belongings from the house by midnight tomorrow."

The president of the University of Oklahoma severed the school's ties with a national fraternity on Monday and ordered that its on-campus house be shuttered after several members took part in a racist chant caught on video. President David Boren said he was sickened and couldn't eat or sleep after learning about the video Sunday afternoon. The video, which was posted online, shows several people on a bus participating in a chant that included a racial slur, referenced lynching and indicated black students would never be admitted to OU's chapter of Sigma Alpha Epsilon.

National leaders of Sigma Alpha Epsilon said late Sunday that its investigation confirmed members took part in the chant and announced it would close the local chapter. The national group said it was "embarrassed" by the "unacceptable and racist" behavior. Boren said members have until midnight Tuesday to remove their belongings from the fraternity house. He said the fraternity was "not totally forthcoming," and he was still trying to find out who was on the bus so the school could consider disciplinary actions.

The video appears to have been taken on a charter bus, with at least one of the chanting young men wearing a tuxedo. "I was shocked they were just doing it openly on the bus, like they were proud of it," said Jared Scarborough, a junior in construction science. "From the chant you could tell they had done it before. It wasn't a first-time thing. And it was everybody. And the fist-pumping." A university police cruiser was parked Monday outside the fraternity house, a sprawling two-story, sand-colored brick building on a street lined with Greek houses just west of the center of campus. The Greek letters were removed from the side of the house Monday afternoon.

University of Oklahoma condemns racist fraternity video Mar 10, 2015 22:31:58 GMT

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Post by Admin on Mar 10, 2015 22:31:58 GMT

Thee University of Oklahoma, which expelled two Sigma Alpha Epsilon members Tuesday for leading a racist chant, may have infringed on the students’ right to free speech, some legal experts said. Two unidentified students were expelled Tuesday for playing a "leadership role" in a racist chant by SAE brothers at the University of Oklahoma, the university's president announced, following his orders Monday to ban the fraternity from campus and evict the members from the house.

"We will continue our investigation of all the students engaged in the singing of this chant," University President David Boren said in a statement, justifying the expulsions on the grounds that the chant had created a hostile environment for other students. "Once their identities have been confirmed, they will be subject to appropriate disciplinary action."

But at least two legal experts say the fraternity’s racist song, although offensive, may be protected by the 1st Amendment. “The irony here is that [Boren is] arguing he’s protecting the rights of some students while infringing on the 1st Amendment rights of other students,” said Joey Senat, an associate professor who teaches media law at Oklahoma State University in Stillwater. “The speech is offensive, the speech is abhorrent, but the 1st Amendment protects unpopular speech.”

In his statement Tuesday morning, Boren said: "I have emphasized that there is zero tolerance for this kind of threatening racist behavior at the University of Oklahoma. I hope that the entire nation will join us in having zero tolerance of such racism when it raises its ugly head in other situations across our country." Boren praised the university's response and added, "I hope that students involved in this incident will learn from this experience and realize that it is wrong to use words to hurt, threaten, and exclude other people." A black former member of SAE at the University of Oklahoma disowned the fraternity Tuesday.

Many minority students and faculty on campus, while shocked by the video, said it confirmed their worst fears about the continued existence of racism at the university. Mirelsie Velazquez, a professor in the university’s College of Education, came to Norman in August. She said she’s often the only person of color in classes or walking around town. With the release of the video, Velazquez said she’s able to put faces and voices to the feeling she gets as a person of color standing in front of a room of white faces.