UMd. Fraternity Member Under Investigation For Racist, Sexist Email
COLLEGE PARK, Md. (WJZ) -- Evidence of racism inside another fraternity. This latest scandal is right here in Maryland. A vulgar email from a fraternity member at College Park goes public.
Christie Ileto has more on the University of Maryland's response.
Written to six frat brothers, an email laced with racial slurs and references to raping women during Rush Week is now viral on social media. The author--a University of Maryland student with the Kappa Sigma fraternity.
"It's disturbing that it was so private and I feel like the student was aware of what he was doing was wrong," said Jamila Duke-Smith, student.
The email so damning, we can't show any of it.
But it's enough to send university president Wallace D. Loh into a candid discussion with students on Twitter.
He says: "It's one of our nation's core values that the government shouldn't be able to tell us what we can and cannot say. Protecting free speech, however, does not mean agreeing with it. And quite honestly, I am struggling with justifying this email as free speech."
"The university should allow them their free speech, as disgusting as it is," said Seth Kaplow, student.
It's not clear why the email is just now surfacing 15 months later. But once you send or post something online, you never know when it will resurface.
"Social media really changes the way we interact. We think we're in private. It makes it possible for a number of those things to be broadcast," said Lester Spence, Johns Hopkins professor.
Days earlier, a video surfaced of members Sigma Alpha Epsilon at University of Oklahoma singing a racist chant.
Lester Spence is a political science and Africana studies professor at Johns Hopkins.
Ileto: "Why are we seeing this surge on social media of these types of incidents?"
Spence: "It's important to note--I don't think we're seeing a surge, that is, I don't think we're seeing an increase. This stuff happens all the time. It's just about whether somebody's going to post it."
The Kappa Sigma fraternity immediately suspended the student from their organization and is working to formally expel him. It's unclear if the student will face any disciplinary action from the university.
"Kappa Sigma Fraternity was just made aware of an email sent some 14 months ago by a University of Maryland student to six other individuals containing racially and sexually suggestive language. At the time of the incident, this individual was an undergraduate member of Kappa Sigma.
Upon learning of the email, the individual was immediately suspended, pending an investigation. The individual subsequently submitted a letter of resignation from Kappa Sigma. The undergraduate chapter at the University of Maryland is also presently engaging in proceedings to formally expel the individual from Kappa Sigma.
The language and views expressed in the email were inexcusable and are in stark contrast to the values of Kappa Sigma Fraternity. They are counter to everything Kappa Sigma stands for. This action by a single individual is in no way representative of the culture or diversity of Kappa Sigma's chapter at the University of Maryland, nor the character of the general fraternity's nearly 20,000 undergraduate and more than 220,000 living alumni members.
While clearly unfortunate, Kappa Sigma Fraternity was glad to see the swift and decisive action being taken by its chapter at the University of Maryland. The fraternity is unable to comment on any further details, as they pertain to an ongoing investigation and a matter of individual membership discipline."
President Loh says the university immediately met with the author of the email. The school's office of civil rights and sexual misconduct is now investigating.
Anyone in the university community who needs support, please contact the counseling center by calling (301) 314-7651.
