The University of Oklahoma claims that the racist chant members of Sigma Alpha Epsilon were heard reciting earlier this month was taught to them at a leadership event the fraternity hosted years back.
According to the Washington Post, an investigation into the incident found that the hateful song was introduced to the SAE brothers at a function sponsored by the organization's national chapter. Furthermore, the university alleges that the chant part of SAE's pledge routine and embedded into the fraternity's culture. Unsurprisingly, Sigma Alpha Epsilon denies this:
SAE leaders, who have adamantly denied that the chant is part of the fraternity’s traditions, recently announced a sweeping national initiative to eliminate racism from all of its chapters, including a hotline for people to call to report troubling incidents, hiring someone for an executive-level position overseeing diversity issues, and an investigation into its more than 200 local groups to determine whether there are racist traditions there.
A student at Duke University reported being taunted with the same chant this week.
OU’s investigation concluded that four years ago, on an SAE national leadership cruise, OU members were taught the chant, and that they formalized it as part of their chapter, teaching it to pledges.
Since the emergence of the video, the fraternity was booted from campus and two members were expelled. Their public apologies and one's public relations move decision to meet with civil rights leaders has done little to move the general public.
In a statement, University of Oklahoma President David Boren said the university will actively seek information from SAE's national chapter about the origin of the chant.
In the words of Drake, "We gon' see."
[via Washington Post]
