|
Listen to this article here
|
Sign-Up for a free subscription to The Black Wall Street Times‘ daily newsletter, Black Editors’ Edition (BEE) – our curated news selections & opinions by us for you.
In a statement released Monday, the University of Wisconsin-Madison said they can’t take action after a video of a student using racial slurs went viral.
A video has gone viral of University of Wisconsin-Madison student Audrey Godlewski spewing racial slurs, and the school says there’s nothing they can do about it.
In a statement released Monday, the University of Wisconsin-Madison responded to the viral video on social media saying “while the university can’t limit what students and employees post to their personal social media accounts and can’t take action against posts that are not unlawful, racist slurs do not represent or reflect UW–Madison values around creating an inclusive community.”
In the now-deleted social media video, Audrey Godlewski can be seen saying “I’m gonna go back and haunt every little f*cking n*gger who did me wrong. I literally hate all of them, I’m gonna make them pick cotton in the fucking fields.”
A petition with over 40,000 signatures is being ignored
A petition for the expulsion of Godlewski has gathered over 40,000 signatures, however the school has given no indications that any disciplinary action is forthcoming.
The African, Hispanic, Asian, and Native American Minority Association of Pre-Medical Students (AHANA-MAPS) made an Instagram post in response to the video. In the post, AHANA-MAPS alleges the student who made the comments works as a certified nursing assistant.
“It is truly disturbing and saddening to know that there are current healthcare workers who share disgusting, overly dangerous, and racist views about Black human beings,” the post said.
The racist video of Godlewski is reminiscent of University of Kentucky student Sophia Rosing’s racist attack against a Black student-employee last year.
In the video, Rosing is seen repeatedly calling the Black student “n*gger” and being violent before police show up. Rosing was arrested and charged with six criminal charges including assault, public intoxication, disorderly conduct, and assault of a police officer.
The UW-Madison statement ended with them encouraging “members of campus to seek support in ways that feel right for them, including in community and by accessing support resources at UW-Madison.”
There are currently over 44,000 petition signatures and counting.