A learner departed from Gettysburg College following the carving of a racial slur onto another student's torso, according to college authorities.
At a casual gatherings of the swimming team on campus on September 6th, a student used a box cutter to etch a derogatory racial slur onto another student's chest, as claimed by the college and the victim's family.
"This despicable act was committed by a teammate, someone he held in high regard, someone he considered a friend," the family stated in an anonymous publication on the campus newspaper, The Gettysburgian.
It's unclear whether the swimmer was expelled or underwent other college-imposed sanctions. Jamie Yates, a college spokeswoman, stated that the student is now "no longer enrolled" due to student privacy laws, revealing no further details. The identities of the students involved remain undisclosed.
The school and family announced an ongoing investigation into the incident on September 9th, stating, "We acknowledge the gravity and severity of this situation and hope it can serve as a transformative moment for our community and beyond."
Bob Iuliano, the college's president, issued a condemnation of the student's actions in a message to the campus in early September and praised the upperclass swim team members for reporting the incident initially.
"Regardless of the relationship or motivation, such demeaning, degrading, or marginalizing behavior has no place on this campus," Iuliano stated.
In a letter to the school community, Iuliano acknowledged that the college had not identified the incident as stemming from a problematic athletic team culture or reflective of the team itself.
"We are disappointed. It is crucial to recognize the harm inflicted on members of our community who have long faced marginalization based on their identity, race, culture, and history through language and actions like these," he wrote.
Iuliano confirmed that the college's diversity officer would oversee an investigation and potential action.
No complaint has been filed with the local police as of September 9th by the victim's family, as stated by Gettysburg Police Chief Robert W. Glenny Jr. According to Glenny Jr., the victim "was encouraged (by the college) to contact law enforcement," but chose to let the college's disciplinary proceedings proceed.
The family indicated in their September 9th statement that they might opt to pursue legal action at the local, state, and federal levels. Last week, they had reported complaints to both the local and state NAACP and the Pennsylvania Commission on Human Relations.
In response to the incident, the college announced that the involved students would not participate in swimming team activities while a conduct review was ongoing, according to a statement shared with the school newspaper.
The victim's family alleged that their son was interviewed by the coaching staff and subsequently dismissed from the team without suspension. The college's September 9th statement did not clarify the status of any students, including the victim, in regard to resuming swimming activities. CNN reached out to the college for comment.
Gettysburg College currently has 2,207 "full-time" undergraduate students attending this fall. According to the school, 62% of students within the United States identify as White, while 21% identify as individuals of color.
The family expressed their disappointment that the incident wasn't initially linked to a problematic team culture, emphasizing that such behavior is harmful to marginalized individuals.
Regardless of the student's enrollment status, the college's diversity officer is overseeing an investigation into the incident.
