Slippery Rock University plans to focus its attention on race relations issues on campus after two students took to social media last week to voice their views on race and recent issues stemming from George Floyd's death at the hands of Minnesota police, and those videos went viral over the weekend.

“I have seen this university take these issues lightly multiple times and it's time to make a change,” said Donovan Ford, president of SRU's Black Action Society (BAS), who called for immediate action.

One video shows a shirtless young man who slaps the phone down, jarring the video. He rights the phone and kicks and stomps on a can while chiding and yelling racial slurs and derogatory remarks about people in the LGBTQ+ community.

“Send them all my (expletive) way,” he said. “I'm done being nice to you.”

Multiple reactions and comments were posted on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. Many called for the expulsion of both students, but the man's drew more attention.

A change.org petition was started to ask for the man's expulsion. As of Tuesday, the petition had nearly 3,800 supporters.

SRU takes action

However, University President William Behre said many are unaware how difficult it is for universities to expel students.

“I think the important thing to note that every school that has done this is a private institution,” Behre said. “We would never be allowed to do this in a public institution.”

Slippery Rock University is a public university and falls within the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education.

Behre said SRU administrators consulted with PASSHE lawyers, who reiterated this point. He said expulsion of the two students likely would have ended in a losing court battle, costing legal fees and the readmittance of the student.

“If you look at the Twitter feed, what you see is folks who are making a leap. They are saying that because we are constitutionally barred from expelling a student that we aren't taking this seriously, and we are not taking action,” Behre said. “We are taking this seriously.”

As part of a statement Behre released Monday — his second reaction to the student-generated videos — he unveiled two initiatives aimed at improving campus culture.

The first would have administrators work with university police to ensure that policies are in place to address issues of bias and receive additional training. Behre said SRU has reached out to Slippery Rock borough police, who also seemed receptive to joining their training.

The second initiative would involve the creation of a web page about racism. Behre said they saw positive feedback about their COVID-19-specific web page. He said a page could be as successful in educating SRU's community about racism and racial issues.

“While I'm for standing up for our students of color, you have to do so in a way that makes sense within the law,” Behre said.

Demand for more action

Ford, on the other hand, argues the university has been lax in its enforcement of discrimination policies, and he wants to see more action in the future.

Ford points out this is not the first example of racism on SRU's campus. He recalled a Black History Month poster that was defaced in February 2019. He said after the initial shock of the incident wore off, many of the promises made by university officials did not come to fruition.

“This is nothing new to me because I have seen racism and discrimination since I stepped foot on campus as a freshman, but it is still disappointing to know that there are people I go to school with who are uneducated on the issues that African-Americans face,” Ford said.

Ford said the man's video was particularly concerning.

“I watched both videos multiple times, but the one that (the man) posted was the one that really made me look at the university differently,” Ford said.

The man in the video was identified by fellow SRU students through social media as an education major. University officials would not confirm the name of the man in the video.

“Many students have already said they will not feel safe if he is permitted to attend Slippery Rock University in the fall,” said Harley Anderson, listed as the author of the change.org petition calling for the man's expulsion.

According to university officials, the man has withdrawn from the university this week. The man could not be reached for comment.

Taken out of context

A second video that drew backlash was posted by Morgan Allen, a senior criminal justice major. Her video did not contain racial slurs or derogatory remarks.

Allen, a resident of Gibsonia, told The Eagle in an interview that her video was taken out of context, and key details were omitted by the person who re-posted it that changed the way her argument sounded.

Allen said her original caption read, “Speaking directly to the violent rioters.”

“You have no right to say that your skin color makes you a target for police while simultaneously breaking laws in response,” she said in her video. “You have no right to ravage the cities that we live in.”

She said all of her points were drawn from and inspired by YouTuber Damani Bryant Felder, who is a conservative black man.

“I received a completely different response,” Allen said.

A video posted by Felder May 31 on his the Right Brothers YouTube channel, started with, “To the rioting thugs of America ... ”

“You have a right to peacefully protest injustice wherever it may be, but you do not have a right to ravage the cities we all live in without consequence,” Felder said. “You do not have a right to say your skin color makes you a target for police violence, but break other laws as a response, and expect your skin color to absolve you of any accountability.”

In retrospect

Looking back, Behre believes his initial statement — released Friday after the two posts went viral — was mistaken as a lack of action. In that statement, Behre acknowledged the posts, but also explained the First Amendment Rights of students.

“If I'm going to be honest, it hit the wrong note because people thought we didn't care about the effects of hate speech,” he said in an interview with the Butler Eagle. “We do.”

In his Monday statement, the university president admitted he should have taken a different approach to sympathize with those hurt by the posted videos.

“Friday's message should have more directly acknowledged the pain and fear caused by the racist and hateful remarks in question,” he said.

Calling for change

Slippery Rock students and community members gathered at SRU Monday night for a peaceful protest.

Borough police said the protesters marched, chanted and rallied. Police said the protest remained peaceful.

But the outrage over the videos began on the same technological platform upon which the videos were posted.

Allen also wants to see change in the way race is discussed on the norther Butler County university campus. She said as an opposing viewpoint, she felt misunderstood through lack of context in her video. She said she believes “all lives matter,” including black lives. She said she accepts peaceful protests, but she does not approve of rioting, which was what her video was intended to say.

“What I said wasn't racist in any way, shape or form,” Allen said. “People forget that part of diversity and inclusion is when people have different opinions than you do.”

Allen said she wants to see more events and opportunities to voice opinions in a conversational manner. She said Twitter is not the place for in-depth conversations involving difficult topics with a range of views.

“My only hope is for more people to be understanding and take the time to recognize that what I'm saying and what they're hearing are two different things,” Allen said.

In 1968, a group of black students attending the University of Pittsburgh formed the Black Action Society and made demands upon the university as the “Voice of the Black Community.”

Today, many campuses have their own version of the Black Action Society.

Ford, a senior marketing major from Lancaster, is taking the reins of SRU's BAS next year, and he wants to make progress.

Black Action Society offers programming throughout the school year, and events are open to everyone on campus.

“Our mission has always been to educate others on the African-American experience at SRU and to serve as a support system for African-American students,” Ford said. “People can help us by coming to events and simply interact, engage and learn from each other.”