Purdue University President Mitch Daniels has expelled an undergraduate student for “racist and despicable” statements he made on social media.
Purdue said in a news release Tuesday that Daniels determined that repeated statements posted by Maxwell Lawrence “appear plainly intended to incite others and therefore create a risk of public safety issues in the current environment.”
Purdue policy allows for summary suspension or expulsion if a student’s behavior poses a threat to the safety and security of the university’s community, property or its ability to maintain normal operations.
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Purdue’s student newspaper, The Exponent, first reported on Friday that the student, an incoming sophomore, posted a video on the website TikTok pretending to run over Black Lives Matter protesters and made racist comments in a group chat.
Lawrence did not immediately respond to an email requesting comment.