USC student who used ‘racist and hateful’ language no longer enrolled, officials say
The student who made comments that were called “racist and hateful” by University of South Carolina President Bob Caslen is no longer enrolled at the school, officials said.
Additionally, all incoming USC students will have to participate in anti-discrimination and anti-harassment training, Caslen said.
As of Monday, the person who made the comments on social media over the weekend was no longer a student at USC, spokesman Jeff Stensland said in a news release.
The university did not publicly identify the student, or the content of the post, citing federal student privacy laws.
But the former student’s Snapchat post led to a quick response from Caslen.
“We are aware of the social media post containing racist (and) hateful language,” Caslen tweeted Sunday. “At USC, we absolutely condemn this racist post (and) are actively looking into the incident.”
The university learned about the “racially offensive” post over the weekend after a bias complaint was issued, Stensland said.
That prompted an investigation and the outcome, according to the release.
“Now is not the time for division,” Caslen tweeted. “Our Gamecock family stands as one against racism and social injustice.”
There have been protests across the U.S. in response to the death of a black man, George Floyd, in Minneapolis on May 25 while in police custody. Floyd’s death has sparked national outrage since a video showed a police officer kneeling on his neck before he died.
That includes three consecutive days of protests in Columbia, where property was damaged, cars burned, and at least 55 people arrested. Law enforcement officers have used tear gas and rubber bullets to break up crowds and enforce emergency curfews.
In the wake of Floyd’s death and the protests, Caslen said USC stands “in solidarity with the African American community.”
“Our Carolinian Creed calls on us to respect the dignity of all persons, to respect the rights and property of others, to discourage bigotry, while striving to learn from differences in people, ideas, and opinions,” Caslen said in a statement. “Violence and hateful rhetoric are not reflective of these values.”
To help engage in thoughtful dialogue about eliminating racism and bigotry, Caslen is requiring the additional education on discrimination for new USC students. Faculty and staff at the university are currently participating in the training.
Caslen said the “new diversity module” will begin during orientation for the 2020-21 academic year. Its purpose is to foster a campus culture that advances diversity and inclusion, according to the statement.
“Our university will intensify educational efforts to ensure that we are equipping our students, faculty and staff to uphold these high standards and to give them the tools to effectively navigate the current tensions in our society,” Caslen said.
This story was originally published June 2, 2020 at 9:47 AM with the headline "USC student who used ‘racist and hateful’ language no longer enrolled, officials say."
