Entire College Cheerleading Team Suspended After Racist Video Emerges on Social Media

St. John Fisher College
The St. John Fisher College campus, in Rochester, New York. St. John Fisher College

A college in upstate New York suspended its cheerleading squad after members of the group were caught singing along to a rap song that contained the n-word.

According to the Democrat and Chronicle, cheerleaders from St. John Fisher College in Rochester, approximately 80 miles east of Buffalo, were caught on camera rapping to Meek Mill's "Dreams and Nightmares."

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In the 11-second footage, which was reportedly posted to Snapchat and went viral on Twitter, a group of about 10 white girls repeats the n-word several times and uses a derogatory term for the female genitalia.

"Earlier today, the college learned of a video that was posted on social media showing some members of the college's cheerleading team using discriminatory language," college president Gerard Rooney said in a statement.

"As a campus community, we will not support acts or behaviors that are not consistent with the values espoused in our mission statement and in the Fisher Creed.

"Cheerleading activities have been suspended indefinitely. The college immediately launched an investigation, which is ongoing, and will follow its own internal disciplinary process as outlined in our student code of conduct."

Rooney added that disciplinary action was a possibility for the students involved.

The tweet was shared by Twitter user @d_williams45, who posted it with the caption: "Wasn't gone post it on twitter but now I have to. Fisher cheer everybody!!!!"

News of the suspension of the cheerleaders came just a month after other college students were charged with criminal mischief after they were caught trying to steal a statue of Frederick Douglass.

In December 2018, John Boedicker and Charles Milks were both intoxicated and repeatedly shouting racial epithets as they tried to rip the statue off its base, before being arrested by Rochester police.

"The suspension will continue until the legally mandated student conduct hearing addressing this matter is completed," Rooney said at the time the two students were arrested, as reported by Rochester First.

"We have taken the strongest possible action available to us at this time. In addition to continuing to follow the college's own Student Conduct Process, the administration will cooperate fully with members of the law enforcement community."

Boedicker and Milks, ages 20 and 21, respectively, denied yelling racial slurs and said their actions were an intoxicated mistake.

The duo reportedly contacted the sculptor to offer their apologies and pledged to help with repairs, Rochester First reported.

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