One of the black students targeted by racial slurs that were written outside dorm rooms at the US Air Force Academy was actually responsible for the incident, officials say.
Academy officials revealed on Tuesday that the cadet admitted to writing ‘go home n******’ on a whiteboard outside the dorm rooms of five black students at the Colorado Springs campus.
The student is no longer at the school but a spokesman refused to say whether the cadet withdrew or was expelled.
The cadet’s name has not been released.
US Air Force Academy officials in Colorado Springs revealed on Tuesday the cadet admitted to writing the slur ‘go home n******’ outside the dorm rooms of five black students
The incident attracted nationwide attention in September after the academy’s superintendent gave a scathing speech warning students that racists were not welcome at the school.
In a statement on Tuesday, the academy said: ‘We can confirm that one of the cadet candidates who was allegedly targeted by racist remarks written outside of their dorm room was actually responsible for the act.
‘The individual admitted responsibility and this was validated by the investigation.
‘Racism has no place at the academy, in any shape or form.’
The slurs were found in September at a dormitory that houses students attending the academy’s prep school.
Academy superintendent Lt. Gen. Jay Silveria gave his fiery speech to cadets shortly after the slurs were found. Footage the speech was posted online and has been viewed thousands of times.
‘If you can’t treat someone with dignity and respect, then get out,’ he said.
He told them they should be outraged by the incident.
The incident attracted nationwide attention after the academy’s superintendent Jay Silveria gave a scathing speech warning students that racists were not welcome at the school
During his speech, Silveria insisted that everyone in the audience take out their phones and record him (pictured above) so his message would be clearly heard
Silveria said at the time that he had called the families of the five prep school students who were targeted by the slurs.
At one point, he insisted that everyone in the audience take out their phones and record him so his message was clearly heard.
The slurs appeared in the aftermath of racial violence in Charlottesville, Virginia, and amid a debate about NFL players kneeling for the national anthem.
‘We would also be tone deaf not to think about the backdrop of what is going on in our country,’ Silveria told cadets. ‘Things like Charlottesville, Ferguson, the protests in the NFL.’
Silveria, a veteran fighter pilot who directed the air war in the Middle East, took command at the school in August.
He has repeatedly told cadets that his highest priority is ensuring a climate of dignity and respect.
The academy has struggled with sexual misconduct problems several times in the past but few racial incidents have been made public.
The academy has about 4,000 students and the prep school usually accepts about 240 students.