Sigma Alpha Epsilon House shut down at University of Oklahoma

Frat’s racist chants get them expelled from campus.

University of Oklahoma logo, the campus and all of the students are shaken from the incident.
Credit:http://www.armetale.com/product-lines/collegiate-2/oklahoma.html

University of Oklahoma logo, the campus and all of the students are shaken from the incident. Credit:http://www.armetale.com/product-lines/collegiate-2/oklahoma.html

Katie Barton, Staff Writer

Sigma Alpha Epsilon originated at the University of Alabama in 1856. Since then, it has had over 325,000 members initiated and prides itself on  “True Gentlemen” status.

 

However, recent events contradict this. Racism is something we’ve been fighting for a very long time. and a recent video surfaced of fraternity Sigma Alpha Epsilon at the University of Oklahoma making racist chants on a charter bus. The video showed the men of SAE making racist chants such as:

“There will never be a ni**** SAE. You can hang him  from a tree, but he can never sign with me.”

 

University president David Boren did not take the video lightly and permanently ended the university’s affiliation with Sigma Alpha Epsilon. He gave the members of the house until midnight on Tuesday to move all of their belongings out of the house. Since some faces were seen in the video, Boren is further exploring what actions the university can take against individual members.

 

Parker Rice, one of the two students seen in the video and who was expelled, says he is now seeking guidance so this doesn’t happen again. On a Tuesday interview with The Dallas Morning News, Rice said:

 

“I am deeply sorry for what I did Saturday night. It was wrong and reckless, I made a horrible mistake by joining into the singing and encouraging others to do the same.”

The parents of Levi Pettit, the other student visible in the video, apologized publicly for their sons actions explaining:

“He is a good boy, but what we saw in those videos is disgusting. While it may be difficult for those who only know Levi from the video to understand, we know his heart, and he is not a racist,”

Both of the students were expelled due to their “leadership role” in the chanting.

The actual video was only 9 seconds long. However, it has faced extreme backlash, not only for SAE, but also the school itself. Many incoming freshmen who were going to play sports are decommitting due to the scandal.