Penn State Under Fire Over ‘Pathetic’ Response To Video Of White Student & Father Yelling The N-Word At Black Protestors
Penn State University is under fire after current and former students slam the school over its “pathetic” response to a viral video of a white student, whom social users identified as Sean Setnick and his father Brian Setnick, yelling the n-word and joking about Ku Klux Klan remarks at black protestors.
Since the video circulated across social media, the school has released two statements. On their first address, the university said they were “disgusted by the behavior portrayed” and that faculty members were reaching out to verify the identity of the individual in the video.
However, outraged students weren’t having it, and the campus’ Black Caucus and Chapter of the NAACP called for Setnick’s expulsion; to which the school replied, in a second statement, that they do not “have the power to expel students over speech, no matter how morally reprehensible it may be.” Students and alumni continued blasting the school and created a petition for PSU to take disciplinary action against Setnick. It’s since garnered nearly 25,000 signatures.
https://twitter.com/LytParfait/status/1267504156232888321?s=20
We are aware of a disturbing video from a peaceful rally today. The comments in the video are reprehensible and we denounce this hateful speech and bigotry in all of its forms.
— Penn State (@penn_state) June 1, 2020
— Penn State (@penn_state) June 1, 2020
— Penn State (@penn_state) June 3, 2020
https://www.instagram.com/p/CA6FUP1Jn5J/?utm_source=ig_embed
Sean Setnick, the kid from Penn State who's dad was calling people the N-word while driving through a protest, has updated his instagram followers. After a video like that surfaces, you don't get to post a black screen and claim you were mistreated! pic.twitter.com/KWUrqKjC3w
— Fido.eth (sukuri.io 🌸) (@fidoeth) June 2, 2020
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Press play above to stream the footage and check out tweets below, then send us a comment via Yappa after
So is the Penn State honor code meaningless? pic.twitter.com/zBxnTLpbzD
— Caroline Freeman (@cifdftba) June 3, 2020
https://twitter.com/tsteiner_/status/1267984790525022208
Where underage drinking is a greater crime than rape and racism
— Joel Embiid Burner Account (@JamesonGinger_) June 3, 2020
This is bullshit. As a formerly proud alumni, I am disgusted by this lack of action, and by this lukewarm statement. PSU is not a safe place for Black students so long as he gets to attend. PERIOD.
— Krystal | #KickChildhoodCancer (@SOB_krystal) June 3, 2020
Welcome to Penn State, where it is worse to drink from a keg than it is to use abhorrent hate speech
— Nick Leloia (@nleloia42) June 3, 2020
What about the power to expel students over the breach of the code of conduct because this situation DEFINITELY applies there.
— Delaney Greczyn (@Delaney901) June 3, 2020
As alumni and faculty, I’m incredibly disappointed in this inaction. How exactly will @penn_state make campus safe for POC while allowing racist students to remain? How will the university “address” those violating our values?
— Paige Castellanos (@paigec_psu) June 3, 2020
Please don't call me for money ever again
— Alyssa Kaplan (@alyssabkaplan) June 3, 2020