A student at Gettysburg College in southern Pennsylvania is no longer enrolled after carving a racial slur into a swim teammate's chest, the campus newspaper said.
The incident occurred Sept. 6 during an unofficial swim team social gathering at an on-campus residence, where the family of the victim said their son was the only person of color, the Gettysburgian reported. While there, the family said a teammate whom their son "trusted" used a box cutter to carve the "N-word" into his chest, making him the victim of a hate crime, they told the newspaper.
In first addressing the incident on Wednesday, Gettysburg College President Bob Iuliano said he had "profound distress" about the event, "its impact on those who have long been underrepresented on campus and its implications for a community continuing its evolving efforts to create a truly inclusive environment."
"No matter the relationship, and no matter the motivation, there is no place on this campus for words or actions that demean, degrade, or marginalize based on one's identity and history," the statement read.
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Iuliano said upperclassmen from the swim team were the first to report the incident to the school, kickstarting an investigation that led to both the victim and the perpetrator being suspended from swim team activities.
But on Friday, the victim's family anonymously said in a statement to the Gettysburgian that their son was "summarily dismissed, (not suspended)" from the team within 48 hours of the incident, which they argue does not follow the policies and procedures in the college's student-athlete manual.
The family's statement also said that the "harm" stemming from the crime has continued "without much relief," paired with their son being "isolated from many in the Gettysburg College community that he had come to trust." However, they said they are addressing these "recent challenges by mirroring our son's spirit of humility and courage" instead of leading with frustration.
"Our son did not choose to have a hateful racial slur scrawled across his chest, but he has chosen not to return the hate," the statement read. "He did not choose the color of his skin tone but has chosen to embrace the strength and diversity it represents. Our son did not choose to be shunned and isolated at the behest of some who pay lip service to inclusion and diversity."
Though the family acknowledged they have the right to pursue criminal charges in the matter, they have so far only sought reparation through complaints with the NAACP Harrisburg chapter, the NAACP Pennsylvania conference and the Pennsylvania Commission on Human Relations, each citing racial discrimination, harassment and lack of due process.
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News of the perpetrator no longer being enrolled at Gettysburg College was revealed in a campus-wide email sent out on Sunday, which also stated the school's investigation was "nearing its conclusion."
Vice President for College Life Anne Ehrlich acknowledged the family's statement in the email too, saying the school had made a commitment to work with them about "how most constructively to move forward" once the investigation was coming to a close. She said those conversations have now begun.
"The College and the family both recognize the gravity and seriousness of this situation and hope it can serve as a transformative moment for our community and beyond," the email said.
The email then pointed back to a line from the family's statement that said their intent in sharing their experience was that "in some small way — a heinous act can serve as a transformative moment for Gettysburg College to live up to its ideals of diversity, inclusion and justice; to celebrate the College's maxim to: 'Do Great Work.'"
Gettysburg College is a private liberal arts school with some 2,200 students. Non-international students of color make up 21.3% of the student body, according to its website.
