Oklahoma University faces possible lawsuit from SAE alumni

The viral video of members of the Oklahoma University chapter of Sigma Alpha Epsilon Fraternity chanting racial slurs has escalated from university discipline to that of the legal level. After the video surfaced, Parker Rice and Levi Pratt, two of the students identified in the video as leaders of the chant were expelled from the university for their participation in the debacle. The university and national fraternity also severed ties with the Greek organization.
The video depicts members of SAE, along with other students, on a bus chanting “There will never be a ni**** in SAE,” to the tune of “If You’re Happy and You Know It.” An unidentified student captured the video on their cell phone, and posted it to YouTube. Once the video surfaced, OU and the national office of SAE Fraternity severed ties with the chapter. The university also mandated the eviction of those living in the on campus SAE Frat House, and expelled two student ring leaders.
Those who can be seen participating in the video have received threats of physical abuse since the video surfaced.
Since then, alumni of the OU SAE chapter have hired high-profile lawyer Stephen Jones to represent the current members. Alumni worry that the university responded to hastily, and may have overstepped boundaries in regards to the first amendment rights of the participants.
“I think there was a premature rush to judgment,” said Jones at a press conference. “It would be difficult to say a university has a right to censor speech, no matter how distasteful it is.”
Currently, there is no lawsuit being filed but alumni are not ruling out the possibility.
There have also been rumors of racism from another chapter of the fraternity in Seattle, WA. There is an ongoing investigation into these claims.