Fisk allegations of bullying/hazing

[irichluck21]

I know this was the resulting and widely accepted narrative however when you consider the situation as a whole Alexis Jeffries was both a perpetrator and a victim. She had bleach sprayed onto her clothing and someone dumped an open can of sardines that was an import from the Philippines into her bag.

It appears that the actions taking against Jeffrey, while not right and by no means am I condoning the behavior was done as retaliation to Jeffrey’s previous actions and refusal to apologize/ acknowledge wrong doing.

Two wrongs don’t make a right. But the tit for tat thing usually happens in this type of situation.

Ultimately, the original issue stemmed from Alexis Jeffrey and then proceeded to escalate due to her actions or…lack of actions, ie apologizing for using the N word both in lyrics and around her teammates. It was not just rap lyrics that were the main issue, it was the free use of the word around her teammates that was the issue. Instead of apologizing and understanding she refused to acknowledge wrong doing, even when confronted. Stating that is just who she is and how she and others talk just like that back home only exasperated the issue.

Jeffrey can’t claim being a victim as she was the original perpetrator. Sorry, but you can’t claim victimization when you are the one who started and escalated the original problem.

 

[irichluck21]

Many UCLA gymnasts united in their discontent with Waller, and he ended up resigning, so positive change can happen within these bureaucratic institutions but it’s not easy.

Which won’t happen at Fisk. Not sure how you don’t see the "why’ behind it.

Tarver has lots of power and control over the group. They are all over the media for being the first HBCU gymnastics team. Several of the gymnasts changed their commitment to other universities or transferred. All over broadcasts and the news the Fisk gymnastics team is “making history”.
You think any of the gymnasts are going to speak up and out against what happened?

Especially not if there is a core group of favorited athletes like allegedly is happening. The fear of retaliation must be astonishing.

Whereas at UCLA there was a group of gymnasts that spoke out together. Strength in numbers.

If anyone wants to speak out at Fisk, surely they are being silenced. Whether by the coach or by fellow teammates.

 

[YurchenkoLoop]

I feel that this can’t be the only thing at play here.

I’m not sure what you’re alluding to.

I didn’t say otherwise for either of these sentences. You are twisting my words completely.

If you fail to see the significance of this incident with the historical component, that is on you.

I don’t. It sucks that this happened in the first year of the first gymnastics team at a HBCU. After reading your later posts, it seems we’re on the same page. I hope Tarver is replaced.

 

[cuuf]

I also think there are alot of the “powers that be” that want to see Fisk do well and for it to be a feel good story. It provides them a token to trout out and say “look how accepting and supportive we are!” Many of the major programs are investing time and money to ensure that Fisk gets off to a good start. Bad press is no bueno.

 

[JDB]

Schools like Fisk depend on tuition for revenue and need to meet enrollment goals. It’s systemic problems becoming public knowledge could hurt applicant numbers. So administration’s incentivized to bully students into silence.

 

[KathySantoni]

Jeffrey can’t claim being a victim as she was the original perpetrator. Sorry, but you can’t claim victimization when you are the one who started and escalated the original problem.

I disagree. The can of sardines being from the Philippines wasn’t coincidental, the bleach ending up on her clothes was a deliberate action. No, two wrongs don’t make a right however one of the wrongs is bordering on a hate crime.

As far as the N word goes, gymnasts that were close to African Americans on the team but not black were given the green light to sing along to lyrics…

 

[irichluck21]

As far as the N word goes, gymnasts that were close to African Americans on the team but not black were given the green light to sing along to lyrics…

It was not just the lyrics that were the issue…it was continued use of the word beyond that, including referring to other gymnasts as “N----” as well as using a Asian stereotype when talking about a teammate and ranking girls on the team by beauty and figure type, continuing to always put the black gymnasts last on the lists. When asked to stop the following the excuse was “we talk this way back home” and “this is how I am back home”.

Again, the sardines and bleach incidents (if even true, no one has corroborated this story to the best of my knowledge and Jeffrey hasn’t even stated this happened to her as far as I know) is retaliation and revenge.

Mean girl behaviors for sure. But I wouldn’t label Jeffery as a victim here, she created the circumstances that led to these alleged events happening.

 

[GLeigh]

Any Twitter social justice warrior is probably hesitant to be AJ-level outraged, because they’re probably worried this could reflect badly on the history of this moment, future gymnastics programs at HBCUs, and HBCUs in general

 

[Passion]

Again, the sardines and bleach incidents (if even true, no one has corroborated this story to the best of my knowledge and Jeffrey hasn’t even stated this happened to her as far as I know) is retaliation and revenge.

The sardines thing was mentioned in the LA Times.

UCLA gymnastics stood united against racial injustice, then was ripped apart by it

A UCLA gymnast was accused of repeatedly singing a racial slur. Her teammates were later accused of bullying her and forcing her out. Now the Bruins are working to recover.

www.latimes.com

 

[irichluck21]

Thanks!
Unable to read it, but now know it was made public.

 

[Denn]

So retaliation has no victims?

 

[KathySantoni]

So retaliation has no victims?

I guess not. What I thought was interesting about the case was that Jeffrey’s victims did not become vocal about the situation until AFTER an investigation into the bleach/sardines/Jeffrey’s mental break had been initiated.

 

[YurchenkoLoop]

You find it surprising that victims don’t report?

 

[KathySantoni]

You find it surprising that victims don’t report?

Yes, I find it interesting that the victims in this case did not report, instead they went and purchased Sardines imported from the Philippines, opened the can and placed it in Jeffries bag. I find it interesting that they then sprayed bleach on Jeffries clothes. I find it interesting that all this happened before they took to social media…

 

[YurchenkoLoop]

How do you know who did that?? We’re speaking very generally of victims here

 

[Dex]

Frazier was also not the innocent she claims to be in this situation, she played the victim role well.
Singing along with a song that uses that word, getting angry about that is beyond immature and downright silly. Make sure you play different music if the word is so offensive, that everybody can sing along to, not just the POC.
The rest, mismanagement, too much entitlement on both sides, too much focus on race that creates more racism, and a staff that hat no idea how to deal with it and chose to just ignore it, hoping it would go away.

 

[irichluck21]

Frazier was also not the innocent she claims to be in this situation, she played the victim role well.
Singing along with a song that uses that word, getting angry about that is beyond immature and downright silly. Make sure you play different music if the word is so offensive, that everybody can sing along to, not just the POC.

If you still believe this whole situation was about “rap lyrics”…well I can’t help you out with that.

 

[irichluck21]

So retaliation has no victims?

No. I don’t believe retaliation has victims.
It is revenge for acts already bestowed on them.
Tit for tat, an eye for an eye.

It doesn’t make it right by any means. But sometimes people need a taste of their own medicine.

If a father physically assaults a man who touched his daughter inappropriately, it doesn’t make the father’s actions right, but I can definitely side with him for doing so.

Had coaches and administration stepped in and actually done something about the racist comments and microaggressions, it likely wouldn’t have gotten as far as it did.

 

[irichluck21]

I find it interesting that all this happened before they took to social media…

They took it to social media after the announcement that Jeffrey was transferring to LSU. They also made their voice heard because Jeffrey was content playing the victim and freeing herself of any responsibility for starting the whole situation to begin with. They took it to social media AFTER they went to the coaching staff and the athletic director and no one did anything to rectify the conflict. The response was the opposite reaction, which was to ignore the comments and microaggressions. Was it Waller who told the team to treat Jeffrey better because of her mental health?

I admit to thinking it was all ridiculous and mean girls behavior when it was originally thought that this incident was around the N word in rap lyrics. But after further information was released, it was clear that there was more to this than we originally thought.
Of course Jeffrey and UCLA admin didn’t share the full story. Glad that the other gymnasts on the team used their voices to share what actually happened.

And mind you, UCLA gymnasts were not responsible for this situation making the news, it was leaked on social media by Derrian Goburne’s mother. Then it gained traction.

 

[KathySantoni]

They also made their voice heard because Jeffrey was content playing the victim and freeing herself of any responsibility for starting the whole situation to begin with.

Will you direct us to any communication from Jeffrey that would make you think she was content playing the victim?