Racist fraternity chant was taught at national leadership event, says head
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Version 0 of 1. The national office of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity seems to have changed its tune regarding a racist song that its University of Oklahoma chapter was filmed singing around two weeks ago. The office originally heavily condemned the footage, which showed students dressed in tuxedos on a bus chanting: “There will never be n***** SAE”. They immediately moved to shut down the University of Oklahoma branch and said: “The national fraternity does not teach such a racist, hateful chant, and this chant is not part of any education or training.” They said that it was probable that the fraternity brothers “learned the song from fellow chapter members.” However, in a Friday statement, the SAE national office said that this was not the case and said that it was most likely that the OU chapter “likely learned a racist chant while attending a national leadership school about four years ago.” The fraternity said that they invite hundreds of leaders to a six day conference every year. “While attendees have little social time, there are occasions when participants can gather socially” the statement” the statement said. “Blaine Ayers (Executive Director of the organisation) said that during one of these social gatherings, some members shared the racist song that was recorded on video at the University of Oklahoma and shared social media earlier this month.” Ayers said that there was no evidence that the chant is widespread across the fraternity’s 237 groups. “Our investigation to date shows no evidence the song was widely shared across the broader organisation. “ However, President of the OU branch Dave Boren said on Friday that the chant was an integral part of life in the local chapter. “Over time the chant was formalised in the local SAE chapter and was taught to pledges as part of the formal and informal leadership process. “It is clear that during the during the four years since the chant was brought to the university campus, its existence was known by recent members and it became part of the institutionalised culture of the chapter.” The university cut ties with Sigma Alpha Epsilon after the video surfaced, as did the national fraternity, and both launched investigations into the chants. The university has handed out punishments ranging from permanent withdrawals to sensitivity training to those involved. This certainly isn't the first time the 'Greek' system has been embroiled in racist controversy. Last year Sigma Phi Epsilon decided to close its Ole Miss chapter after three members hung a noose around the neck of statue of the university’s ever black student. Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity at Arizona State University had its charter suspended in 2014 after students held a party at which they drunk from watermelon cups and held gang poses for photos given the hashtags #blackoutformilk and #ihaveadream. The Chi Omega sorority at Penn State University faced a backlash in 2012 when a photo circulated online of its members dressed in stereotypical Mexican clothes with signs reading: “Will mow lawn for weed + beer” and “I don’t cut grass I smoke it.” |