Former members of disbanded fraternity in hot water after controversial Instagram post surfaces: 'We don't pay cover or taxes'

The former members of a disbanded fraternity at Florida State University (FSU) are facing a new controversy after posting a photo on Insta...

The former members of a disbanded fraternity at Florida State University (FSU) are facing a new controversy after posting a photo on Instagram that many consider racist.

The Tallahassee Democrat reports that former and alumni members of Pi Kappa Phi chapter at the university recently shared a photo under the heading “FSU Pi Kappa Phi Reunion” in which members wore sombreros, ponchos and fake mustaches. The accompanying text said, “We don’t pay cover or taxes.” The photo was initially shared on an account that appears to belong to Nick Napoli, who is a member of the Student Senate

Ruby Ramos-Basaldua, president of the Mexican-American Student Association, was one of the students at the university who spoke out about the photo. 

“Members of the Mexican-American Student Association and colleagues find these posts to be offensive and insensitive,” she wrote on Facebook. “As this situation pertains to our culture and community, we are the ones to find the posts to be inappropriate. It is disheartening and a shame to see peers portray stereotypes of our culture and in doing so, they are reinforcing stigmas.”

She goes on to insist that the university punish the offending students and to issue an apology. “In not doing so, FSU would be reinforcing this behavior by choosing to be silent.”

The Afro-Latino Student Association also spoke out about the incident, saying it “unquestionably condemns the Instagram post” in a letter posted to Facebook. Additional student organizations shared letters condemning the “racism and xenophobia” exhibited in the post and demanded the university take action.

“Pi Kappa Phi strongly condemns the actions and poor judgment shown by former members of the Florida State chapter,” Mark E. Timmes, chief executive officer of the fraternity’s national office, said in a statement to the Tallahassee Democrat. “Pi Kappa Phi is proud to be a diverse fraternity that includes brothers from a wide variety of backgrounds, beliefs and orientations.”

The Florida State University Pi Kappa Phi fraternity chapter was disbanded in November 2017 and had its charter revoked after an alcohol-related death of a fraternity pledge.

Amy Hecht, FSU’s vice president for student affairs told the Tallahassee Democrat, “This group has inappropriately affiliated themselves with Florida State, and we will address that. Their statements do not reflect our Greek Life community, and it is unfortunate that a closed fraternity, not recognized by FSU or their national organization, is degrading the hard work and progress of our student leaders as they seek to positively shift the culture at FSU.”

Although Hecht did not immediately respond to Yahoo Lifestyle’s request for comment, she asked students to report incidents to the university’s confidential hotline.