Schools

BU Student Paper Under Fire After April Fools "Joke"

Editor-in-chief of BU independent paper steps down after outrage over their April Fool's edition.

In an apology letter from the former editor-in-chief, Chelsea Diana described the issue as "juvenile and insensitive," saying:

We did not mean to single out or offend any specific organizations that work to improve the BU community, nor to intentionally propagate any misconceptions about BU students or the university. Rather, our intention was to produce material that would be seen as ridiculous and fictitious.  

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The annual "prank" edition of one independent BU student paper, the Daily Free Press, sparked outrage on campus. The print-only edition featured a front page story that repainted recent instances of sexual assault using characters from Disney's "Snow White and the Seven Dwarves." In this version of the fairy tale, however, the fair heroine of the tale is drugged by a frat composed of the seven dwarves, and wakes up in bed with them. 

Students took to social networks to blast the paper and the story, which prompted a Twitter apology from the paper, and a letter from the Board of Directors released today. Diana will be replaced by campus editor Steph Solis, who was selected as next year's editor-in-chief.

Find out what's happening in Brooklinewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The University commissioned a study investigating its hockey team after two players were arrested on sexual charges earlier this year. Also this year, Beanpot hockey teams wore white ribbons on their helmets in a stand against violence against women.

Last Friday, BU students participated in a Take Back the Night event, featuring skits, speeches and a candlelight vigil aimed at empowering students against sexual assault.

See a related video on the WHDH story.

See Take Back the Night photos on the BU Quad's story.


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