Classes are canceled at Connecticut College on Monday after racist graffiti was found in a bathroom Sunday.
A student and a professor told WNPR that the graffiti read “no n------,” with the “n” word spelled out.
The incident happened at a time when the college has been having heated discussions over the nature of free speech. Some say there is a campus atmosphere that is often discriminatory against minorities.
President Katherine Bergeron learned of the graffiti incident as she was writing a letter to students and staff addressing the recent events. Last week, the school held a forum sparked by a philosophy professor’s Facebook post that described Gaza as a “rabid pit bull” bent on the destruction of Israel.
"We must take action immediately to expose and eradicate this ignorance and hatred," Bergeron wrote in the letter. "Connecticut College is a community that values the dignity of all people. As your president, I will not tolerate forms of racist or hateful speech designed to demean, denigrate, or dehumanize."
Nearly three-quarters of the 44 college departments and programs have made statements condemning hate speech, bigotry, and racism. Until the recent incident, Bergeron has not made a similar statement, choosing to focus more on the importance of free speech.
In her letter, Bergeron said this has become bigger than a single Facebook post:
By now, there have been many opinions expressed about the original Facebook post, as well as about subsequent comments on Yik Yak and elsewhere. But one thing has become extremely clear: the level of harm that incendiary language can have on a community. The post caused an outpouring of anger and pain among many different groups of students, faculty, and staff. The groundswell of reaction makes it clear that the issue goes far beyond the effects of a single post. It is about who we are as a community.
Victor Arcelus, Connecticut College's dean of student life, told the college community that the graffiti incident happened between 9:30 am and noon on Sunday. He is offering support for students to discuss the matter, and campus safety officials are investigating the graffiti, which was found on the first floor of the Crozier-Williams student center.
The college's all-campus forum last week drew roughly 1,000 students and faculty who urged the president to condemn hate speech. Many students said the forum was the first time they felt like their concerns over discrimination were heard.
Instead of Monday classes, the college has planned events throughout the day to help the students and faculty discuss the current atmosphere.
This report includes information from The Associated Press.
