Pacific Index

Pacific students left with mixed feelings as the school finally punishes those involved in racist Yik Yak posts

   Following the incidents of racism against Pacific’s black community on Yik Yak this last semester, a major initiative from the school administration and law enforcement to find and punish the offenders began. But after multiple meetings and emails, the school administration has gone silent on the issue, and from the outside looking in it seemed that it was forgotten. 

   No word from the administration was issued on the follow-up actions being taken to dole out consequences to the students responsible. It took, of all things, an anonymous tip spread by word of mouth by the Pacific student body, for any resolution to be known. The tip claimed that the students involved in the racist comments and posts on Yik Yak were caught, but the punishment for the grievances committed would be a probationary period. Soon after the probationary period, the rumors suggested the students would return to classes as normal.

   Dr. Pierre Morton, Vice President of the Office of Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Accessibility, commented on the nature of the punishment, shedding light on the thought process that led to punishment by probation. “I have made many mistakes in my life, and I would not be where I am today if I was defined by them,” he shared candidly. “If I wasn’t given another chance for the stupid mistakes I made at twenty-one, I wouldn’t be where I am currently. This is college, and college is a place where people are meant to grow, and part of that growth is not just making very dumb decisions, but also learning and growing from them. The students know they did something wrong and they’re currently being punished, that is for certain.” 

   Dr. Morton affirmed that the decision not to “swing the cleaver” in this situation was intentional, as he claimed that college students are still young and can often make very mindless and rash decisions. “They’ve invested a lot of time, energy, and money into coming here, and I don’t think it’s right to wipe away their futures because of one dumb decision.” Despite this view, Dr. Morton hinted that the punishment may not be limited to a simple period of probation. “Currently, whether or not they will be expelled is inconclusive,” he said, adding that while it is undetermined, he wishes for the guilty students not to be expelled. “I believe they’ll return at some point and will hopefully become valuable additions to the campus.”

   Not all students are satisfied with this resolution. An anonymous student shared their perception of the punishment saying, “I’m really not satisfied with the resolution, at least how I understand it. Did they [the administration] forget that they [the offenders] made active threats against us, and that they created a hostile environment for us on campus? They said ‘there’s a lot more of us than you,’ told us to pick cotton, and made threats and jokes about lynching, just because they were asked not to use a word that is our reclamation of centuries of oppression, slavery, and racial violence. That is not okay, and I’m ashamed to go to a school where you can do that and still remain on campus. They’re adults, legally, and they should be removed from campus.” 

   Other students echoed these perceptions, though senior Jayden Fordham said, “They [the offenders] should have the chance to stay on campus, but should take the proper actions to learn from their mistakes and obviously suffer some consequences. But leaving the campus wouldn’t be ideal. Even though I feel very betrayed, I hope that as time goes on and they are out of their re-education, it’ll create a better environment for the campus community to come together again.”