College Students Suspended from Swim Team amid Reports That a 'Racial Slur Was Scratched' Onto a Person's Body

Mar. 15, 2025

A photo of the Gettysburg College sign.Photo:AP Photo/Matt Rourke

AP Photo/Matt Rourke

At least two students have reportedly been suspended from a Pennsylvania college swim team amid claims that “a racial slur” had been “scratched” onto another student’s body.

On Thursday, Sept. 19, Gettysburg College President Robert Iuliano released a message about the incident on the school’swebsite.

“I should note that it was the upperclass students from the swim team who first reported the incident, and we thank them for bringing this to the College’s attention,” it added.

“At this point, the students involved are not participating in swim team activities," the college said, per the outlet.

A photo taken on the Gettysburg College campus.John Greim/Shutterstock

John Greim/Shutterstock

According toWGAL, another statement from the school read: “The College has received a deeply concerning report of a racial slur being scratched onto a student using a plastic or ceramic tool.”

Iuliano insisted in his own message, “No matter the relationship, and no matter the motivation, there is no place on this campus for words or actions that demean, degrade, or marginalize based on one’s identity and history.”

He confirmed it was an “ongoing investigation where witnesses are being interviewed and key information is still being understood.”

Per WGAL, Gettysburg Chief of Police Robert Glenny Jr. said the victim chose to handle the incident “through the college’s internal investigatory process,” despite the school reportedly urging the student to take the matter to the police.

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Iuliano told students in his message to “focus on our collective responsibility to foster a truly inclusive environment and to uphold our mission statement that underscores who we are: a dynamic educational environment starts with an unwavering commitment to the ‘worth and dignity of all people.’ "

“We realize the fullest potential in ourselves and in each other only if we honor each other’s common humanity in all of our interactions,” he concluded, adding links to campus resources for anyone who might need support amid the incident.

source: people.com