College swimmers suspended after racial slur scratched on to student’s body
At least two students at Gettysburg College in Pennsylvania have been suspended from the swim team after a report was made that a racial slur was scrawled on a student’s body, officials said.
Officials received “a deeply disturbing report of a racial slur scrawled on a student with a plastic or ceramic object,” liberal arts faculty officials said in a statement last week.
“This is a serious report that is being actively reviewed through the student conduct process,” the board said. “At this time, the students involved are not participating in swim team activities.”
The school declined to release further details, citing the investigation and privacy legislation.
However, a family of the victim contacted the Gettysburgian last week to provide more details. They said the student was yelled at in the chest by someone he “trusted.” The victim’s family says they are treating the incident as a hate crime. They also said the victim was the only person of color at the scene.
“The despicable act was committed by a fellow student-athlete, someone he considered a friend, someone he trusted. This student used a box cutter to carve the N-word across his chest,” the family told the Gettysburgian.
They added: “As we wait to discuss the decisions of college staff, the damage continues without much relief. Media (social, online and broadcast) continues to spread misinformation that stems from an act of racial hostility. In the same vein, the isolation that comes with being isolated from many in the Gettysburg College community he had come to trust deepens the damage.
“We want to make it clear that we understand that an investigation should not be rushed. We support a fair and thorough investigation. That is why we appreciate the standardized procedures and protocols that are in place. We know that they are intended to ensure that the rights and responsibilities of all parties involved are upheld and protected.”
Robert Iuliano, president of Gettysburg College, said he felt “deep disquiet about what happened” and the impact on the implications “for a community that continues its evolving efforts to create a truly inclusive environment.”
“Regardless of the relationship and regardless of the motivation, there is no place on this campus for words or actions that denigrate, degrade or marginalize anyone based on their identity and history,” he said in a statement, which also warned against speculation “based on snippets of information that may or may not be accurate.”
City Police Chief Robert Glenny Jr. said he contacted the university after hearing news reports and was told the victim had chosen to handle the matter through the university’s internal process, despite university officials encouraging the person to report the matter to police, WGAL-TV reported.