PA College Student Expelled For Offensive Sign At Basketball Game

Pittsburgh PA

01 March, 2022

9:42 AM

Description

WASHINGTON, PA — A Washington & Jefferson College student has been expelled after holding up a sign at a recent women's basketball game reflecting the date of the death of a Westminster College player's father. Westminster forward Lindsay Bell, a native of Youngstown, Ohio, was the target of the abuse. The sign displayed the numerals "10-14-13" — the day her father died. College officials said on social media that immediate action was taken against the unidentified student who held up the sign while grinning. "During the Feb. 26, 2022 basketball game between W&J College and Westminster College, a W&J student sitting in the student section displayed a sign containing a statement that was intended to harass, and that was disrespectful and personally hurtful to a Westminster player," college officials stated. "The student was immediately removed from the game when the incident was brought to the attention of college administrators, and as of Feb. 27, 2022 is no longer enrolled at W&J." College officials said that out of respect for Bell, "we believe it would be inappropriate to discuss the content of the sign." Bell's mother, Vicki Lucente, wasn't so reticent to discuss it on Facebook. "The last time Lindsay played at W&J, there were a group of boys in the student section yelling '35, where's your dad?'" Lucente wrote. "And for those of you who don't know, her father passed away in 2013. When she told me that, I was in disbelief. Beyond disgusted. Who does that to a girl that struggles through every day life without her dad?" According to Lucente, that initial incident was brought to the attention of the Washington & Jefferson's athletic director and supposedly handled. Instead, Lucente said, she witnessed a person in the student section, full of football players, hold up the offensive sign. "It was the day Lindsay's father Wally passed away," she wrote. "Really? So you make a choice to use the worst day in my daughters life just to get into her head so you can win a basketball game? It makes me sick." Lucente did note that the Washington & Jefferson athletic director and football coach both apologized to her daughter. "However, It was the whole group, all with football jerseys on, (who) need to be held accountable," Lucente wrote. "I will say this to all of you…not just to the person holding the sign. You all contributed to breaking Lindsay's heart all over again. I will pray that you never have to go through the loss that my daughter has suffered." Washington & Jefferson officials the type of behavior displayed at the game has no place at the college. "When we become aware of a situation that is inconsistent with the high standard to which we hold our students, we act quickly to correct it," the social media message stated. "We expect our students to act with integrity and respect, and this student's actions are not representative of the W&J community." Be the first to know what's happening in your community and region. With a free Patch subscription, you'll always be up to date on local and state news: https://patch.com/subscribe.