Fourteen cadets have been dismissed, suspended or are serving on-campus punishments at The Citadel after several of them appeared in photos with pillowcases over their heads that resembled Klu Klux Klan hoods, the military college’s president announced Monday.
The photos of several freshman cadets in what appeared to be KKK-like garb made the rounds on social media last month and prompted widespread outrage.
Democratic presidential front-runner Hillary Clinton demanded the South Carolina school take down its Confederate flag after the images were made public, and the Rev. Al Sharpton and the National Action Network called for The Citadel’s president, retired Lt. Gen. John Rosa, to step down, although they later stepped back from those demands.
But an investigation into the photos revealed that the freshmen were ordered by an upperclassmen to sing Christmas carols while they were dressed in costumes, Lt. Gen. Rosa said in a statement.
The cadets wore white pants, shirts and gloves along with the pillowcases in an attempt to create a “Ghosts of Christmas Past” skit, the statement said.
“The investigation found that the cadets did not intend to be offensive. However, I am disappointed some recognized how it could be construed as such but did not stop it,” Lt. Gen. Rosa said.
The song sheets the cadets are seen reading in the photos contained only the words to carols and nothing offensive and “at the outset, not all of the freshmen understood that the costumes could be construed by some as offensive,” he said.Â
Lt. Gen. Rosa added that, while the skit had no ill intent, “it did show poor judgment. It demonstrates that we must integrate an even higher level of diversity education into cadets daily activities.”
He announced the creation of a task force to monitor and make recommendations on the campus climate toward minorities.
Lt. Gen. Rosa also said the school would be enhancing its curriculum to promote greater understanding of ethnic backgrounds and would increase diversity among students and staff.
The National Action Network on Monday said Mr. Sharpton is “very encouraged” by The Citadel’s response.
“We have the opportunity right now to change the race relationship with The Citadel,” he said. The group is calling for, among other things, five additional free scholarships for minority students and more Citadel involvement with low-income schools.
• This article is based in part on wire-service reports.
• Kellan Howell can be reached at khowell@washingtontimes.com.
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