A Gettysburg College student-athlete allegedly slashed a swim teammate's chest with a box cutter and hurled racial slurs at him. The incident has sparked an investigation at the small Pennsylvania liberal arts college, according to school officials and the swimmer's family.
The student who wrote the derogatory term on his classmate's body is no longer at the school and the student who had the derogatory term written on his body was initially banned from swimming at the small school after the incident came to light, which was strongly condemned by the college's president.
“No matter what the relationship, and no matter what the motivation, there is no place on this campus for words or actions that degrade, humiliate or marginalize anyone based on their identity and history,” Gettysburg President Bob Iuliano said. Wrote on Thursday.
Iuliano said the incident occurred during an informal social function on campus.
This allegation was also leveled against the student's family told the school newspaper, The Gettysburgian reported that their son was the “victim of a hate crime” and that on September 6, a so-called friend used a box cutter to write the N-word on their child's chest.
Less than two days later, the alleged victim was interviewed by swim coaches and was “immediately dismissed (not suspended)” from the swim team, the family claimed Friday. It was not immediately clear whether his status had changed Sunday night.
The family also alleged that the “deplorable act” was committed by someone he “considered a friend, someone he trusted,” while adding that he was the only black person at the gathering.
The school and the other student's family said in a joint statement provided to the Gettysburgian on Sunday that the student who allegedly wrote the offensive line is no longer enrolled at the college. It's unclear whether the student left on his own terms or was expelled.
“Both the College and families understand the gravity and seriousness of this situation and hope it will serve as a transformative moment for our community and beyond,” according to the statement, adding, “The College and families are seeking the best way to move forward.”
The statement said the internal investigation was nearing completion. Read this also.
In a note sent to the school community Thursday, Iuliano said the school became aware of the situation after senior students reported it to school officials.
“I want to underscore my deep sadness about what happened, the impact it will have on people who have long been underrepresented on this campus, and the implications it has for a community that continues its ongoing efforts to create a truly inclusive environment,” he wrote.
