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Baylor Frat Suspended After Throwing ‘Cinco de Drinko’ Party

Baylor University. Photo: Allen Holder/MCT via Getty Images

Once again, a college fraternity — organizations long known for their sensitivity and reasonable decision-making — has found itself in hot water. This time around, it’s Baylor University’s chapter of Kappa Sigma, which was suspended by the school on Monday evening, after throwing a “Cinco de Drinko” party.

Per student reports, Saturday night’s party involved attendees wearing costumes that offensively stereotyped Mexicans — sombreros and serapes, or construction worker or maid outfits. There were also reports of students painting their faces brown and chanting, “Build that wall.” (Per the Waco Tribune-Herald, “a Baylor spokesman said the university has no direct evidence of students wearing brown faces, though it would investigate that detail if it arose.)

The Hispanic Student Association, LatinX Coalition, and the NAACP organized a protest on Monday, during which hundreds of students showed up. “People should know that this isn’t about attacking the frat and it isn’t about attacking a certain group of people,” Kristen Williams, president of Baylor’s NAACP, told the Baylor Lariat. “This is actually just trying to administer unity and love for this campus. We’re just trying to bring awareness to the situation that happened.”

As for how Baylor responded, in addition to suspending the frat, VP for student life Kevin Jackson released a statement, saying: “Baylor is committed to a Christian mission that actively supports a caring and diverse campus community, and we do not tolerate racism of any kind on our campus. When any incident that does not align with our faith and mission is brought to our attention, it is thoroughly investigated by the University, and appropriate action is taken.”

Baylor Frat Suspended After Throwing ‘Cinco de Drinko’ Party