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Subscribe to RSSControversy follows the release of a Penn State sorority photo showing students dressed in ponchos and sombreros posing with offensive signs. WJAC's Steph Davis reports.
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. -- Penn State president Rodney Erickson admonished students who wore costumes and held offensive signs in photographs circulated on the Internet, but said in a campus-wide letter Thursday that the school won't pursue disciplinary action.
The letter didn't specifically reference the photos or name the Chi Omega sorority, which has apologized. But Erickson said it became clear in recent days that some students "celebrated Halloween in costumes that offended others" and acted contrary to university values.
One sign in the photo of sorority sisters says "will mow lawn for weed + beer." Two women holding signs are wearing fake mustaches. Others in the photo wore sombreros.
Erickson said the "disturbing behaviors" were protected by free speech rights. He said he was disappointed and dismayed, but hoped that lessons would be learned from the case.
"The simplest of those lessons is that costumes that include blackface, or that parody or imitate a person or groups of people, are always offensive to someone," Erickson said. "They convey either a lack of awareness about the human condition and human sensitivities or, worse yet, disdain for the thoughts, feelings, histories and experiences of others.
"It is that belief that calls upon all Penn Staters, wherever they may be, to reflect for a moment on the value of diversity in the university and the broader communities we inhabit," he added.
Also Thursday, a posting on the Chi Omega national chapter's website said the Penn State sorority has been placed on probation. The posting cited members "portraying inappropriate and untrue ethnic stereotypes at a social function."
Chi Omega's Memphis-based national office said it was working closely with Penn State and the school's Panhellenic Council to "implement corrective educational directives for the chapter."
"I am disappointed in the choices made by our Nu Gamma Chapter members and we regret any pain caused," Chi Omega national president Letitia Fulkerson said in the statement. "Chi Omega does not condone behavior that violates our organization's policy on human dignity."
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Leave a Comment:
seriously sorority girls...stick to what you know... slutty cat... slutty maid.... slutty nurse... ya know.. the staples for sorority B*&ch*s on Halloween
but whatever you do...stop thinking... you just wind up offending people...
I'm offended by anyone offended by these photos!!! OH NOES! :)
Administration has to take notice of this once it goes public, but it doesent have to take action, which it didnt so I suspect they probably agree with most here on this forum about PC but cant state that because of our PC Nation.
Big deal.
Everyone gets offended by something.
Grow some skin and shut up.
Nothing wrong with what they said, HOWEVER if they had used tequila instead of beer... now that would be offensive. (oops forgot I actually need to type j/k in this PC world)
Geez, this story is like a week old and NBC is just now running it?
Mainstream media stinks anymore and is going the way of the Dodo bird.
What ever happened to humor and fun. It was a party for goodness sakes. I don't recall anyone complaining when the movie White Chicks came out. Black men pretending to be white women. But you can't have any white person pretending to be anything. They better shut Hollywood down right now.
And when I was in college there was a little parody song sung to the tune Hi Ho from Snow White.
"Chi -O, Chi-O, it's off to bed we go.
We've paid our dues so now we screw, Chi-O, Chi-O..."
Just one more problem to confront this beleaguered university.
Since there ain't no mowing, snow will be blowing, do the sidewalk shovel boogie and party hearty
I think the fact that these girls had no clue this would bite them in the a** speaks volumes about their lack of intelligence and common sense. Posting photos showcasing how stupid you are is not a good way to jump start a career after college. I hope their families are rich and willing to support useless moochers so they have a fallback position. Idiots. LOL
No surprise there. Sorority girls aren't exactly known for being very mature or bright (the same can be said of frat boys), unless they belong to an honors student type of sorority.
Politically Correct is when you are ruled by the ridiculous expectations of aholes.
Yes! aholes who think its ok to say something derogatory to someone because they are different, and think they can get away without any repercussions.
Don't stand in the Sun if you are that thin skinned. You could get burned....
This is going to sound sexist, but I expect this sort of behavior from men, not women. I would have never dated/married my wife if for one second I thought she was a racist. What happened to women being/acting like ladies?
This is from the corrupt state college that sells crummy degrees and bogus research on behalf of corporations such as Cabot Oil, yet protects pedophile sportsball executives. It is more outrageous that the school is still open taking in millions of dollars.
Why don't those girls just get drunk and sleep with the football team like all the other rich white spoiled American college girls ?
All of this angst being aired over a few dizzy sorority suzies acting silly is kind of silly. See there, I just slighted sorority girls everywhere. Shame on me. Folks should lighten up, from the time the first two homo sapiens were joined by the third one, someone has been picked on, simply human nature on display.
Oh gee your fragile sensibilities are being compromised. Oh the humanity. What will I do? How can I possibly go forward without a class action law suit? Screw PC, I'll tell you exactly how I think and if you don't like it?... go back to where you crawled out from. Later wussies. I take my share of heat for being Polish and so should you. Get over yourselves and the ACLU and move on. Out! Merry Christmas to all.. gee I hope I didn't offend anyone by that last comment.
It is no wonder China has us beaten with everything. Look at what we have in college.
I'd rather here about students at Penn State having fun then hear more about their perv football coach.
.
They let illegals infiltrate our country, stay at taxpayer expense, and offer them the dream act. But nobody's allowed to make a joke because everything's so damned sensitive, begging political correctness around every turn.
No wonder they're all over this PC @!$%# like stink on a dog.You can't even call a fruit a fruit
And to think Cheech and Chong never said anything the offended anyone. We are such a society of doom. Everything is offencive to someone. It's just today, there is no humor and fun. I'm glad I don't live in the world of youth and fun. You never know when correctness will reign down on life. And Mel Brooks????? Oh well, thinner skin is today's way. And dividing America is how you deystroy America.........................
Not racist. Obviously meant in jest. Just a group of nice girls. Leave them alone.
The article says some of the women in the photo wore fake mustaches. Really? They were fake?
This should not have been an issue at an institution of higher learning. Any person with low level education would know that there is not such a thing as a Mexican race. Just ask the Mexican travel bureau. Does the term Canadian describe a race? No! A US citizen; does that define a particular race? No! So don't be so stupid! Damn right, Rodney, it is a matter of free speech and only a fascist would consider violating such rights. So don't join in with the fascists on this thread.
To be PC is to be a fascist!