Family of Gettysburg swimmer whose body was engraved with a racist slur speaks out

On Wednesday, The GettysburgianGettysburg's student newspaper, first reported that at least two students had been suspended from the college's swim team after a racial slur was carved on a student's body.

Two days later, the family of the student who had the racial slur carved into his body at a swim team meet contacted the newspaper and told them the incident was currently under investigation by the college, according to a statement from communications and marketing officer Jamie Yates.

The family's statement said their son was the victim of a hate crime that occurred on Friday, September 6, at a men's team meeting where their son was the only person of color. Their statement went on to say that “this reprehensible act was committed by a fellow student and athlete, someone [their son] as his friend, as someone he trusted. This student used a box cutter to carve the N-word into his chest.”

The Gettysburg statement released by Yates said, “The students involved will not participate in swim team activities until the outcome of the student conduct evaluation process is determined.” However, the names of the students involved were not disclosed, citing privacy laws and the “ongoing nature of the student conduct evaluation process.”

The school says a senior member of the team reported the incident to authorities.

The victim's family said in their statement that the victim was one of the students who was excluded from team activities.

“He did not choose the color of his skin, but chose 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 only lip service to inclusion and diversity,” their statement continued.

In an email to the entire school, Gettysburg President Bob Iuliano said it was seniors on the team who first reported the incident. Iuliano expressed his “deep” dismay at the incident, adding, “No matter the relationship or motivation, there is no place on this campus for words or actions that demean, degrade or exclude anyone based on their identity and history.”

The family’s full statement, first published in The Gettysburgiancan be found below. To protect the identity of the victim, the newspaper agreed to keep his identity anonymous.

“Two weeks ago, on Friday evening, September 6th, our son was the victim of a hate crime. The incident occurred at a swim team meeting. It is important to note that he was the only person of color at the meeting. The reprehensible act was committed by a fellow athlete he considered a friend he trusted. This student used a box cutter to carve the N-word on his chest.

“In less than 48 hours after the incident, our son was questioned by members of the coaching staff and summarily dismissed (not suspended) from the swim team. The punitive action was taken before the Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities' own investigation began. This does not appear to be consistent with the policies and procedures outlined in the Gettysburg College Student-Athlete Handbook.”

“As we wait to discuss the decisions of the college staff, the damage continues without much relief. The media (social, online, and broadcast) continues to spread misinformation based on an act of racial animosity. In the same way, the isolation that comes with being isolated from many members of the Gettysburg College community he trusted only exacerbates the damage.

“We want to make it clear that we understand that an investigation should not be rushed. We support a fair and thorough investigation. To that end, we appreciate the standardized procedures and protocols that are in place. We know they are intended to ensure that the rights and responsibilities of all involved are upheld and protected.

“At the same time, we have been proactive in seeking redress through other parties. Complaints of racial discrimination, harassment, and lack of due process have been filed with the Harrisburg NAACP Chapter and the Pennsylvania NAACP Conference. We have also filed a similar complaint with the Pennsylvania Commission on Human Relations. We are fully aware that we reserve the right to pursue local, state, and federal criminal charges in this matter.

“We have now issued this statement with the expectation that it will provide clarity and not cause controversy as we strive to understand the nightmare that has befallen our son and our family. We remain hopeful that Gettysburg College officials will maintain their transparency and apply their rules fairly.

“Our son had other opportunities to mature intellectually, socially and spiritually and to achieve his athletic goals. He chose Gettysburg College and its swimming program because he felt at home on this campus. In fact, we appreciated the way we were received by the other parents on the swim team, the swimmers and the coaching staff. It seemed like the right choice in many ways. For our son's sake, we try to navigate recent challenges by reflecting our son's spirit of humility and courage.

“Our son did not choose to have a hateful racist slur scrawled across his chest, but he did choose not to return the hate. He did not choose the color of his skin, but he did choose 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 only lip service to inclusion and diversity.

“We would be remiss if we did not point out that, thank God, there are students who have expressed concern for our son's well-being. These individuals have chosen to resist pressure from others and not meet with him. In the eyes of our family, they have helped our son in his time of need. They have shown courage and grace at such a young age, and their actions should be celebrated, not discouraged.

“Our family apologizes in advance if this statement offends anyone. We ask for forgiveness if what we believe to be true is perceived as false witness. That is not our intention. Rather, our intention is that a heinous act can serve – in some way – as a transformative moment for Gettysburg College to live up to its ideals of diversity, inclusion and equity; to celebrate the College's maxim: 'Do Great Things.' We pray that together we can awaken a collective conscience that will promote healing and help bring about justice for our son and the rest of the Gettysburg College community.”

This is a developing story and will be updated with more information as it becomes available.