By Sanjea Taylor, Contributing Writer
Since the recent U.S political election, the country has been in a state of divide. One reason is an increase in hate speech and racism, particularly online, where many users are able to remain anonymous.
One example of this is the reported targeting of black college students, with many receiving racist text messages intended to offend and scare them. In the body of these messages, they state how various students have been selected to pick cotton on a plantation, even providing them with a date and time for when they should report.
These text messages are targeted, specifically naming students in the body of these messages, causing many to become fearful. According to ABC News, these messages have been sent to students anonymously in states like Alabama, Ohio, South Carolina, and others. ABC News also reported that the app TextNow released a statement, acknowledging that a few of these messages originated from their platform.
Dr. Jen Shaw, vice president of Student Affairs, shared her thoughts on the topic when asked.
“Part of my job is to be aware of what’s going on in higher education in general, because often something that happens somewhere else, could happen here,” said Shaw. “So, we want to make sure that we know what’s going on so that we can either help or protect our students.”
“I think it’s horrific, but unfortunately, in this day and age, you guys [college students] know there are so many opportunities through social media where hateful people can be anonymous, and there just seems to be a culture that those people are going to use to be malicious and hurtful,” Shaw added.
When issues like racism arise, Student Affairs plays a crucial role by addressing the situation, collaborating with various groups to determine a resolution, and educating students through various workshops and educational activities.
Although these types of text messages have not reached Saint Leo University, there is a possibility they could appear either in the same manner or through another form of bias or hate crime.
“Unfortunately, it’s become so common to bully people online,” said Shaw.
Students should not fear, as our campus offers many resources if this or any other form of bias incident or hate speech affects any student.
“So, if anything like that happens, students should take screenshots of it so there is documentation in case it gets pulled or someone erases it, and then they should report it to University Safety,” advised Shaw.
“University Safety will address the situation. The chief of University Safety works closely with law enforcement and the Tampa FBI office when the case necessitates it,” Shaw continues.
Along with this, Saint Leo offers 24/7 counseling services, which are available to students (352-588-TALK) to discuss how this has affected them. Students can also speak to their resident assistant if they live on campus or their student success coach.
“We have people like me and all of us that work in Student Affairs. We see students and support them when they’re going through difficult things, and so even if just the student feels like they need some emotional support, there’s those resources too,” Shaw explains.
If a student is found to have committed or been behind this kind of bias incident or hate crime, they should note that Saint Leo takes it very seriously and does not tolerate bullying in any form.
“We do not tolerate people making other people feel scared or unwelcome,” said Shaw. “They would go through the conduct process, and if that person was found responsible, a suitable outcome would be determined. It could be anything up to and including suspension.”
If you are the victim of a bias incident or hate crime, make sure to keep documentation and file a report with University Safety. We all have a role in making the university a community that doesn’t tolerate hate.
