Greek Mess

Dallas Jesuit grad pegged as leader of racist OU fraternity chant

The freshman leader of the racist University of Oklahoma Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity song that got the chapter kicked off campus has been identified as a graduate of Jesuit College Preparatory School of Dallas, according to a statement from the school’s president.

The Daily Mail reports that Parker Rice, a freshman SAE at OU, is the tuxedoed individual shown leading the racist song in the nine-second video that got posted on TotalFratMove over the weekend under the title, “OU’s SAE is going to wish this very racist video didn’t get leaked.” Rice is a graduate of Jesuit according to a quote from the school’s president, Mike Earsing.

In a statement, Earsing condemned the song and actions of the SAEs on the bus:

In the recent video regarding OU and the SAE fraternity it appears that a graduate from Jesuit Dallas is leading the racist chant.

I am appalled by the actions in the video and extremely hurt by the pain this has caused our community. It is unconscionable and very sad that in 2015 we still live in a society where this type of bigotry and racism takes place. All of us at Jesuit Dallas are deeply committed to create a culture of justice and equality for all. This was certainly true when the School became the first in Dallas to integrate and it is true today.

Unfortunately, isolated incidents throughout our society remind us that there is still much work to be done. Jesuit Dallas calls on all men and women of good will, God’s will, to fight against a culture of racism, bigotry and of death, including that of the unborn.

Sincerely,
Mike Earsing

Earlier today, OU president David Boren said in a statement that he had expelled two students who played leadership roles “in the singing of a racist chant in connection with an SAE fraternity event” but did not release the students’ names.

After the chant came to light, and national furor ensued, the chapter was shut down Monday and told to leave its house.

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E-Cigarette News

Dallas City Council approves restrictions on vaping in public

Unsplash

Man vaping

Vaping will now be banned exactly like smoking, thanks to a new ordinance from the Dallas City Council.

At their December 11 meeting, the council passed an ordinance to ban vaping in all the same areas where smoking is not allowed. It'll go into effect on December 11, 2025 — giving everyone a year to get into compliance.

Proposed by City of Dallas Environmental Commission (EVC) and the Office of Environmental Quality and Sustainability (OEQS), the ordinance amends the definition of “smoking” in the Dallas City Code to include the use of vaping devices.

The ordinance does not ban vaping — it only bans where you can vape: no vaping in all indoor and enclosed spaces; within 15 feet of building entrances; and on park property. The ordinance also bans marijuana smoking in those same places.

In addition, the amendment requires restaurants, hotels, fitness centers and other businesses to update their signage to clearly state that both smoking and electronic smoking devices are prohibited.

The ordinance already earned widespread support from health organizations such as the Dallas County Health and Human Services, the American Lung Association, and the American Heart Association. These organizations, along with the World Health Organization, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the U.S. Surgeon General, have all raised concerns about the health risks of direct and second-hand exposure to vaping aerosols, particularly for vulnerable populations such as children and older adults.

Dallas is not the first city to impose such a ban: San Antonio enacted a similar ban in October. Theirs goes into effect on January 1, 2025.

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