Texas A&M investigating 'abhorrent' viral video of student using racial slurs in fake biology lesson

Texas A&M University says an “abhorrent” viral video of a student using the n-word during a fake biology lesson will be investigated, despite the man’s public apology.

The student, whose name the College Station university did not release, made the video for Snapchat and from there, it was shared on Twitter. Wearing an unbuttoned blue shirt, he holds a beer bottle and stands in front of a chalkboard, assigning the n-word ending with “er” for black people and the n-word ending with “a” for people of mixed races. He then used a slur to describe white children born to black couples. A male and female classmate were also featured in the video.

The video was tweeted on June 28 with a plea to identify the man and his classmates. And a Change.org petition with more than 1,600 signatures called for the three to “understand the blatant racism and hatred they displayed.”

Petition creator Morgan Gimblet did not return Yahoo Lifestyle’s interview request. She has written university president Michael K. Young requesting “increased accountability” for the students, a school honor code, and an in-person meeting.

On Twitter, students said the students should be expelled. A woman wrote, “Behavior like this is why I left @TAMU after my freshman year. I had NEVER been called a n***** until I enrolled at A&M. I was ran out of the Dixie Chicken, harassed at the MSC and made to feel wholly unwelcome and unwanted.”

Someone tweeted, “Absolutely disgusting. How embarrassing for the University. Hopefully there will be consequences for this hateful racist pos.”

The school replied with a tweet, “This behavior is abhorrent. Thank you for alerting us to it. We have passed this along so Texas A&M officials can look into it.”

Kelly Brown, associate vice-president of marketing and communications at Texas A&M University sent Yahoo Lifestyle a statement from Young.

The July 1st letter read, “It saddens me to address our Texas A&M University community about racist remarks made by two students in a 37-second social media video that went viral over the weekend. This behavior is abhorrent and against the core values that we share and to which we aspire in all we do, including those of respect, excellence and integrity.”

“...This incident will be investigated through the Student Conduct office. While outcomes are protected by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and cannot be made public by the University, those found responsible will be held accountable...” Young also encouraged students to report hate speech at a school website called Stop Hate.

According to KBTX, the male student featured prominently in the video apologized in a statement.

"A video of myself that I am extremely ashamed of was released over the weekend,” he said. “My state of mind while the video was made last week in no way excuses my words or actions. In hindsight, I realize what I said and did was wrong and very hurtful to many. I also realize that I have to do work within myself. I am extremely sorry from the bottom of my heart, as this is not who I was raised to be, and not who I want to be. I cannot begin to understand but will work to be more aware of, the pain these words cause people. I am deeply sorry."

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