An administrator at Stanford University in Stanford, California, suggested that a fraternity remove its American flag in order to avoid offending or frightening people away, according to a new report.
What are the details?
The report, published in The Stanford Review, alleges that a university administrator advised a defunct fraternity to remove the American flag flying outside of the Sigma Chi fraternity house if they wanted to "break stereotypes."
The Sigma Chi fraternity was on suspension during the fall 2017 semester, and reportedly had met with a school administrator who was acting as liaison between the fraternity and the school's residential education office. The administrator is only identified only as "Mr. Z" in the article.
At the time, the fraternity was attempting to get back into the school's good graces so it could be a fully reinstated and functional fraternity. This did not end up happening, and the fraternity lost its charter in May.
In January, The Stanford Daily reported that Sigma Chi International opened an investigation into the fraternity's chapter at Stanford after a non-Stanford affiliate at the house had allegedly drugged members of another fraternity. As a result, the investigation prevented the Stanford chapter from being able to recruit a 2018 pledge class for the spring semester.
It was Mr. Z who allegedly said that the American flag could be construed as a disturbing symbol to some people on campus.
What else?
Stanford 2018 graduate Pablo Lozano told the outlet that the administrator seemed supportive during the fraternity's attempts to regain its operational status.
During a dinner event, however, Mr. Z reportedly suggested that he found the flag to be an offensive symbol, Lozano said, according to the report. Lozano said that he took the suggestion as something that could prevent the Stanford chapter from reopening if it weren't carried out.
In response, Lozano said he told Mr. Z that the Stanford Post Office flew the American flag as well as Stanford's Green Library Bing Wing. Lozano also added that Mr. Z did not seem opposed to a Palestinian flag flying at a residence nearby, or a Dominican flag flying from one of the Sigma Chi bedroom windows.
Ultimately, Lozano did not entirely remove the fraternity's American flag.
Instead, he replaced the house's banner with an even larger one, and framed the flag. He then placed it inside the fraternity in what he called a "silent but visible protest."
According to the outlet, other people corroborated Lozano's version of events.
Campus Reform reported that neither Stanford University or the national Sigma Chi fraternity responded to requests for comment.
(H/T: Campus Reform)
