Fraternity suspends itself after ‘racist, sexist’ texts exposed, Georgia school says
A University of Georgia fraternity is under investigation after “racist, sexist” messages were found in a group chat, officials say.
The school’s chapter of Lambda Chi Alpha suspended itself indefinitely after the texts were exposed, the UGA Interfraternity Council wrote Sunday on Twitter.
Over the weekend, student Arianna Mbunwe tweeted screenshots she said showed racist messages from fraternity members.
In reference to Mbunwe’s post about COVID-19 disproportionately impacting Black people, an app user wrote: “This one is really funny.”
“Coronavirus: Sees white girl, flees cause she has privilege,” another person replied, according to the screenshots. “Also Coronavirus: sees black person, assumes they are probably poor and lack health insurance, attacks.”
Also in the messages that reportedly came from the fraternity’s group chat, someone wrote: “Lord give me the strength to not call that woman a racial slur.”
A representative from the Lambda Chi Alpha chapter didn’t immediately respond to McClatchy News’ request for information on Tuesday afternoon.
Though UGA didn’t specify what was said in the messages that led to the chapter’s suspension, the Interfraternity Council called the texts “racist, sexist and otherwise discriminatory.” The school says an incident that unfolded on the GroupMe app is under investigation from its Equal Opportunity Office.
“The University of Georgia is aware of outrageous and offensive comments involving members of a student organization over the weekend,” spokesperson Greg Trevor told McClatchy News in an email. “Such statements of bigotry and intolerance do not have any place on our campus, and we condemn them in the strongest terms.”
The council says it plans to “hold the organization and individuals accountable to the consequences of their actions.”
“These disparaging remarks are odious to the Council’s desire for any member of the University community to feel welcomed in Greek Life and on campus,” officials wrote on Twitter. “We have much work towards this vision, and the Council remains committed to forging such reality to our generation, and the next.”
Mbunwe told WSB-TV she hopes the students who were involved are expelled from the university.
“I want them disbanded and their charter revoked,” she told the station.
UGA on its website lists more than 60 Greek organizations. The campus is in Athens, a city roughly 70 miles east of Atlanta.
