As the controversy over school songs at the University of Texas ignited, a player said he was threatened by college graduates because of his refusal to attend.
“Eyes of Texas,” which is traditionally sung after home games, has come under fire in recent months because of concerns that the song and tradition behind it are full of racism. In the past few days, controversy has resumed after a report in the Texas Tribune revealed that graduates threatened to withhold donations from the university if students did not participate, calling them “snowflakes,” among other things.
Caden Sterns, who started safe for the Longhorns for three years, added to the controversy of revealing on Twitter that he too was threatened by graduates for the song.
“My teammates and I were threatened by some graduates that we would have to find jobs outside of Texas if we didn’t participate,” Sterns wrote.
The song has links to Confederate General Robert E. Lee and minstrel shows, which represent the comic reconstruction of racial stereotypes. The University of Texas team did not sing the song for the last two home games of the football team.
Sterns was a member of the All-Big 12 First Team in 2018 and will enter the 2021 NFL Draft. It is expected to be a final choice.