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| San Jose State University |
Three college students are being charged with hate crimes
after performing racially offensive hazing practices against a black
roommate. The students at San Jose State University in San Jose, California have been charged with
misdemeanor hate crime and battery. The
university has suspended the students as of Thursday, November 21.
A dormitory room at the college placed the black freshman in
housing with seven white roommates, who repeatedly taunted and harassed the
freshman. The white students referred to
the freshman as “Three-fifths” or “Fraction” in reference to voting laws from
the time of slavery in the United States.
Police also found Nazi
paraphernalia and racial slurs written on the white board.
San Jose State University is known for its diversity and
many students and community members were shocked at the incident. The victims parents reported the behavior
after seeing “N----r” written and a confederate flag hanging in the room’s
common area. Apparently the behavior
begun during the start of the school in year in August, and the freshman said
he did not report the harassment in hopes that it would go away.
A rally called Black Thursday took place on the campus last week to support the victim,
whose name has still not been released to the public. Hundreds gathered to stand up against racist
behavior and to call the university to action against the crimes. At the rally, the VP of student affairs said
that as of now that disciplinary action is pending a full investigation.
However, the accused, Logan Beaschler, Joseph Bomgardner, and
Colin Warren, all California natives, have been suspended.
The three students reportedly admitted
to the behavior but claimed that the hazing was only for joking purposes and
did not have racist intent.
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