Academy takes action over mid’s racist tweets
Discipline details protected, depend on results of probe
The Naval Academy has taken “appropriate administrative action” against a midshipman responsible for a series of racist tweets over the summer.
The details of the administrative action are protected by the Privacy Act, said Naval Academy spokesperson Cmdr. Alana Garas in an email.
The punishment following the investigation depended on the results, Garas told The Capital in July. Each case is handled on an individual basis.
Midshipmen who receive a conduct offense or violate the Naval Academy or Navy equal opportunity policies must complete dignity and respect remediation, which is a program that focuses on moral development, Garas told TheCapital.
In July, a Twitter account linked to Standage tweeted out several racist statements, including ones about BreonnaTaylor, a Black woman killed by police in March, and the protests following the death of George Floyd, a Black man who was also killed by police.
The academy announced the investigation into Midshipman1st Chase Standage on June 17. Standage has since deleted the Twitter account.
Screenshots of the tweets were shared by members of the Navy football team and other midshipmen, with calls for the academy to separate Standage. Standage did not respond to a request for comment as of Thursday evening.
The screenshots were shared as Superintendent Vice Adm. Sean Buck finished filming a video with his comments on racism at the academy. The academy learned about Standage’s tweets the night the video released, according to previous Capital reporting.
In the video, Buck spoke about how racism and bigotry, while alive at the academy, would not be tolerated.
“And as superintendent, let me be clear to you, nowinthis video, ifyou, yourself, harbor racist or bigoted views toward your fellow menandwomenin arms, there will never be a place for you in our Navy or Naval Academy family,” Buck said in the video. “Never.”
The results of the investigation into Standage came about nine days after the superintendent released another message to the academy community talking about the steps the Naval Academy has taken to address systemic racism.
“Diversity and inclusivity are also essential to fulfilling our mission of cultivating an officer corps of agile and creative thinkers who are equipped to confront our myriad and complex national security challenges of today and tomorrow,” Buck wrote in the statement. “At the Naval Academy, diversity and inclusion are imperative to our institution’s success.”