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BC officials, police doubt Latina student's story that she was attacked twice last weekend
By adamg on Thu, 04/19/2012 - 8:43pm
A Boston College vice president e-mailed students today to report an investigation by campus police found no basis to a freshman's story that she was the victim of two racially motivated attacks over the weekend. According to one account, she told police a man hurled a racial epithet at her Friday night, stabbed her and then found her the next night and began kicking her where bandages covered her stab wound.
But her story didn't hold up, Vice President for Student Affairs Patrick Rombalski wrote in an e-mail tonight: "BCPD has concluded that no threat was ever present to the BC community or to the individual," He added, however, that police are continuing to investigate a separate report that a driver yelled a racial epithet at another student as she walked on campus.
Rombalski's complete e-mail:
Dear Members of the BC Community:
As some of you may have heard, Boston College Police received two reports this weekend from a BC student stating that she had twice been the victim of a racially motivated assault.
BC Police met with the individual and investigated the complaint. Other administrators also met with the student over the weekend to offer support, and the incident was reported to the Office of Institutional Diversity according to the guidelines of the University Hate Crimes Protocol.
The University treats allegations of this nature with the utmost seriousness, and is committed to addressing them to the fullest. All of us reject intolerance of any form, and we all share in a desire to live in a community free from violence and hate.
In carefully reviewing the matter, however, aspects of these incidents as reported proved to be inconsistent with BCPD's investigative findings. As a result, BCPD has concluded that no threat was ever present to the BC community or to the individual. Members of our staff are continuing to provide assistance and support to the student as needed. The investigation remains open, should anyone have information that they would like to share with BC Police or with administrators in Student Affairs.
There have been reports on the web and social media regarding this incident that are inaccurate. They only serve to undermine trust in our community.
In a separate incident, a BC student also reported this week that a driver yelled a racial epithet at her while she was walking near Campanella Way. BCPD is investigating this incident and welcome any information you have at 617-552-4440.
In my conversation with this student, I witnessed her disappointment and anger. In meetings or correspondence over the past 24 hours with members of UGBC, Black Student Forum, OLAA, and others, I have been reminded about how firmly committed you are to strengthening our University. I look forward to continuing to work with you to achieve this goal.
I hope this information will help to clarify questions regarding these incidents. As always, we in Student Affairs are available to work hand-in-hand with students on issues of concern in our community.
Sincerely,
Patrick Rombalski
Vice President for Student Affairs
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Comments
Disciplinary action?
Is BC going to get this person care for the benefit of their mental welfare and sweep this under the rug, or are the going to publically put the boot in their ass and let them attention-whore on some other campus next semester?
I hope so.
Is BC going to get this person care for the benefit of their mental welfare // I hope so.
sweep this under the rug // um, if they were, they wouldn't have written the letter.
boot in their ass and let them attention-whore // so sorry to read you describe this woman as a whore. If she violated the standards all students are subject to, she'll be subject to appropriate consequences. For my part, I don't understand your hostility.
crying wolf
not a "whore" but an "attention-whore." And yes, we should be hostile to such people because it diminishes the value of reports when such event really do occur.
This is the parable of the
'attention whore' who cried wolf. And the moral of the story is that unless BC takes the harshest of measures against her, no one will believe the next student who makes a similar claim. Ok, That's the logic; I don't agree but that's basically what you're saying.
I'm saying there should be proportional consequences for her dishonesty and someone should help her figure out what the hell is going on in her life that she's taken such extreme measures to be treated like a fragile victim. I think, its fair to describe as a mental health issues.
Why be anonymous?
Coward.
That's actually a registered
That's actually a registered and regular user around here named Anonymous. Real anonymous people show up in black, un-linked text and are usually called "anon," like the very first post in this thread.
Where's the E-line
Where's the E-line , Yes. 4 years and 1 week. Thank you for explaining.
davidvandamage, You were mistaken. I accept your apology.
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V I agree with your take on anonymous and pseodonymous commenting.
The act of calling out the
The act of calling out the use of anonymity to undermine and question the legitimacy of the argument is something I cannot agree. I believe in the importance of anonymity and pseudonyms which helps allows people to speak honestly and openly. Now the counter is that it is cowardly to not just use their full identity. However, an honest voice is more important that ensuring that everyone's opinion have to face full blowback. I don't see why courage is so important that it means if the person doesn't have the courage and willingness to take the full brunt that the opinion or idea should never be expressed.
One particular example that highlight its importance that I think you can see without issue is the Scientology protests about four years back. All the protestors wore masks to hide their face. Are they cowards for not willing to show their faces? Or is prudence when Scientology's history included "Attack the attacker" policy, "Fair Game", nearly drove a reporter insane for her investigation, and even infiltrated the government.
If anonymity is important at that situation against an unpopular but still powerful entity. I have to say it have to apply to just plain unpopular ideas too. Thus anonymity should be not use to argue that an argument or idea is wrong. The expression of opinion or ideas is more important than admirable courage to take negative blowback and not the person who says it.
My post was gender-neutral.
If the first thing that comes up in your mind when you hear "attention-whore" is a picture of a woman, perhaps you should do some soul-searching of your own before getting all indignant.
http://dictionary.reference.c
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/whore
Dualing definitions
http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/attention_whore