OC University Recruiter Fired For Using 'Racist Activity' At OKC High School

The president of Oklahoma Christian University is apologizing after he said a now former employee used a "racist activity" during a school recruiting visit. News 9 was sent statements by OC and Harding Charter Prep, the school the recruiter was visiting.

Monday, March 2nd 2020, 6:21 am

By: Ashley Holden


The president of Oklahoma Christian University is apologizing after he said a now former employee used a "racist activity" during a school recruiting visit. 
 
News 9 was sent statements by OC and Harding Charter Prep, the school the recruiter was visiting. 
 
The charter school's Superintendent Steven Stefanick said this all happened when the employee was talking to their entire junior class on Feb. 24. 
 
"What led from the session was an exercise involving inappropriate and hurtful statements which will never be tolerated in our school community," reads part of the statement Stefanick sent.
 
OC administrators said  they did not approve the activity before the presentation and have been in close contact with the charter school ever since.
 
On Sunday, OC's President John deSteiguer led a public meeting on the university's campus about the incident. 
 
He said hours after the visit the recruiter was fired. 
 
According to the student-run newspaper, Talon.News, deSteiguer named the former employee as Cedric Sunray at the meeting. 
 
The paper is also reporting Surday was already the center of an internal investigation for a similar activity used during an on-campus event. The university apparently found out about a third incident at another high school in the metro over the weekend. 
 
"I'm embarrassed, and I'm ashamed and I'm mad at what happened and I'm very very sorry," said deSteiguer.
 
At the meeting the university's president said they would now include new programs and mandatory cultural sensitivity training for all employees.

"God instructs us to love one another and that everyone, and I mean everyone, is valued. We fell short here, said deSteiguer. "We will learn and we will redouble our efforts to do better." 
The university's president and members of OC's admissions team are set to visit Harding Charter Prep to apologize Monday morning. 

Ashley Holden

Ashley Holden joined the News 9 team in June 2018. She's excited to call Oklahoma her new home. Before arriving at News 9, Ashley reported and anchored for three years at the NBC affiliate in Davenport, Iowa. While in the Quad Cities market, along the Ill

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