Racist Chanting SAE Frat Scandal Deepens As Other States Investigate Local Chapters
As the scandal deepens over the racist chanting of Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE) fraternity in Oklahoma, officials in California and across the nation are coming forward with damaging allegations the group poses a threat to university life.
Investigations have now enveloped SAE chapters in California, Washington, Texas, and Louisiana along with Oklahoma and allegations range from racist slurs to hazing deaths and sexual harassment.
California chapters of the infamous SAE fraternity have faced school punishments for their role in the hazing death of a prospective member along with various other drinking and conduct problems, according to the LA Times.
Fourteen of California’s SAE 18 chapters have faced disciplinary charges including the shuttering of chapter houses.
UC Davis closed their school’s SAE chapter for five years, while USC suspended the SAE chapter there for three years, and Stanford University shuttered their local SAE chapter for two years. The charges include repeated alcohol violations, including serving alcohol to minors and harassing female students.
A prospective Cal Poly San Luis Obispo member died from alcohol poising during a hazing incident during 2008 resulting in jail terms for four SAE members. That SAE chapter is also closed.
Meanwhile, the University of Washington is investigating their local SAE fraternity for yelling racist slogans at African American students during a Black Lives Matter demonstration, according to Fox News.
Students claim they were called apes as they marched past the SAE chapter house.
The University of Texas is investigating the Austin SAE chapter for using the same racist song that led to the University of Oklahoma disbanding their school’s SAE chapter, although fraternity members deny the allegations, according to ABC News.
A former Texas SAE member took to Twitter to defend the racist slurs, but then quickly deleted his posts.
Investigations are also underway at Louisiana Tech University, including allegations that racist chants were taught to SAE members in private, according to Buzzfeed.
An eyewitness account by a former SAE pledge confirms the chant was taught to members in a private setting, but was never part of the official pledge education.
The University of Oklahoma, meanwhile has expelled two students and shuttered its school’s SAE chapter in response to the video that surfaced showing students in a racist chant.
The lawyer who once represented Oklahoma bomber Timothy McVeigh has been hired by SAE alumni from OU to help reunite the fraternity, according to the Inquisitr.
Attorney Steven Jones questions the fraternity member’s treatment following the video and alleges their first amendment rights were violated.
The SAE nationwide organization meanwhile is planning to expel all the OU members and says the racist allegations do not represent their organization at large.
