Slur Spurs School Name Change
The Ralph R. Papitto School of Law needs a new name.
The school’s namesake asked for the name change after a controversy erupted over his use of a racial slur, Associated Press reports. Ralph Papitto used the n-word at a May 2 meeting of Roger Williams University, which owns the Rhode Island law school.
“I take full responsibility for this matter and ask for understanding from the community,” he said in a statement. Papitto has resigned from the board, which he chaired 40 years. He is a major donor to the school.
He said he had never used the n-word before but it “slipped out” during a discussion of the need for diversity at the university. (ABAJournal.com noted the controversy at this post.)
A hat tip to the Wall Street Journal Law Blog, which posted the news.
