Photographs from a "ghetto fabulous"-themed party prompted reaction from the dean of the University's School of Law and a law student organization.
The photographs, which depict first-year law students sporting Afro wigs, large necklaces with medallions and name-tags with fake historically black or Hispanic names while holding 40-ounce bottles of malt liquor, were brought to the attention of the law school dean's office by members of the Thurgood Marshall Legal Society.
Members of the society, which serves as the University's chapter of the National Black Law Students Association, viewed the party images on the Web site of a student who had attended the party, said president Sophia Lecky.
"I would definitely say that the party was thoughtless and just inappropriate," Lecky said. "They were kind of irresponsible for the feeling of others."
Law School Dean Lawrence Sager, along with Vice President for Diversity Gregory Vincent, met with about 18 students who attended the party. Sager told The Associated Press he didn't believe the students were malicious or racially motivated and no disciplinary action would be taken.
Sager did, however, send an e-mail to the student body of the law school reprimanding the actions of those involved.
"No firm or agency at this point in our history would knowingly hire a candidate whose conduct was racially insensitive," Sager said in the Oct. 6 e-mail. "It is genuinely foolhardy to engage in conduct (and even more foolhardy to proudly disseminate proof that you have done so) that could jeopardize your ability to practice law."
Members of the student law organization posted a photograph of another similarly themed party in the atrium of the law school Wednesday afternoon. The photo was of a previous UT student party. Next to the photo, the legal society posted a letter expressing its disappointment concerning the actions.
"We wanted to explain why certain groups of people may be offended by images that were personified in the party," Lecky said of the display.
Lecky said she does not think the incident was indicative of the law school environment overall, nor does she think the students involved had a negative racial motivation.
"I would not say that racist behavior is common at the law school; we're not of that opinion at all," Lecky said. "Overall, I'm very proud of TMLS, of the actions of the law school administration and feedback for the students. We're satisfied with the end result of this. I think that we're all a better law school community because of it."
Additional reporting by The Associated Press.
Be the first to comment on this article!