Syracuse University finally banned indefinitely the Theta Tau fraternity that spewed hateful racist taunts and made lewd homophobic jokes in a video. Some 15 members of the fraternity have also been banned from the school and the fraternity for life.
In the midst of the controversy that has rocked the Syracuse campus, videos surfaced showing members mocking an assault on a disabled person. Now that the 15 men involved have been punished, their transcripts will read: “involuntarily withdrawn” reports The Root.
Chancellor Kent Syverud called the videos “appalling and disgusting” when they first surfaced in April.
“I am deeply concerned about how the continuing exposure to hateful videos is causing further hurt and distress to members of our campus community,” he said.
The videos showed members of the fraternity engaged in acts that are “anti-Semitic, homophobic, sexist and hostile to people with disabilities.”
In the viral video, members are standing around while one man says to another who is kneeling and repeats after him:
“I solemnly swear to always have hatred in my heart for n——, s—-, and most importantly the fucking k—-,” referencing racial slurs for Black people, Latinos, and Jewish people respectively.
The Theta Tau chapter released a statement apologizing for the video, saying:
“Anyone of color or of any marginalized group who has seen this video has every right to be angry and upset with the despicable contents of that video.”
“The new members roasted him by playing the part of a racist conservative character. It was a satirical sketch of an uneducated, racist, homophobic, misogynist, sexist, ableist and intolerant person,” according to the fraternity. “The young man playing the part of this character nor the young man being roasted do not hold any of the horrible views espoused as a part of that sketch.”
—Robert De Niro goes in on Trump in profanity-laced speech at Tony Awards—
Five students sued the school in April saying the video was not “unlawful” and that the school has “threatened their academic survival.”