Sigma Alpha Epsilon Confirms Racist Chant Was Taught to OU Students, Call it an Isolated Instance

The University of Oklahoma (OU) determined their Kappa chapter of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE) fraternity learned a racist chant at an event hosted by the national office.

According to the Washington Post, OU President David Boren unveiled these findings during a press conference Friday. The fraternity responded shortly after, confirming as much while pointing out the fact that they have found nothing to suggest the chant exists at all 237 national chapters.

"We remain committed to identifying and rooting out racist behavior from SAE, and we are actively investigating all of our local organizations to determine whether there are issues in any other location," SAE Executive Director Blaine Ayers said in the fraternity's statement. "We intend to conduct a thorough and complete investigation, and this will take time. However, we will share the results of our investigation when it is complete. Our current findings at the University of Oklahoma are similar to those announced on Friday by University of Oklahoma President David Boren. But our investigation to date shows no evidence the song was widely shared across the broader organization."

The chant contains references to lynching, while also suggesting an African-American will never join the fraternity. Members of the OU chapter were caught on video signing the chant aloud, which resulted in the expulsion of two students and the chapter being dismissed from campus.

One of the expelled students said in his formal apology the chant was taught, though he did not elaborate further. The chant has also cropped up at Duke University, though it does not currently appear as if the North Carolina Nu SAE chapter was involved. An official at Duke told the Post the school is investigating.

The SAE national office said the leadership meeting at the center of OU's findings is a six-day retreat organized around seminars, classes and other related events. The fraternity said an OU student could have learned the chant during the retreat, but it would have been an isolated instance.

SAE also stated their investigation is ongoing.

"The song is horrific and does not at all reflect our values as an organization," Ayers said. "If we find any other examples of this kind of behavior currently occurring, we will hold our members accountable, just as we've done in Oklahoma."