INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — An Indiana State University student’s TikTok video hit a national nerve after she criticized Beyoncé and Black Americans.

On the TikTok video, the young woman said, “I’m sorry, but if you’re Black, you’re not country.”  

The controversial video was posted right after Beyoncé dropped her country album “Cowboy Carter” on March 28. News 8 chose not to show the student’s face or give her name. In the video, the woman said, “I know you were raised in the country or your grandparents were, but they were picking, they weren’t planting. They weren’t making any money. They were getting sold for money.”

While the video was racking up views online, ISU student Emani Marks says the school was slow to respond.

“The zero tolerance policy is not there, and I don’t want this situation to just go away,” said Marks.

Marks reached out to Tiktok content creator “Tizzyent,” or Michael McWhorter, a Floridian with over 6.2 million followers. McWhorter slammed the initial video, saying, “It’s ok if its not your cup of tea, like maybe you don’t like country music. What’s not ok is that you think Black people don’t belong in country music.”

McWhorter spoke to News 8 about why it’s not just an Indiana issue, but a national one.

“Allowing this stuff to be put in the world and just acting like it didn’t happen, or ignoring it, or addressing it in very strict terms begets more of that,” said McWhorter.

Students protested Monday during eclipse day, and the university has since issued the following statements:

For Marks, a simple statement is not enough.

“I want this situation to be an example, so the school knows there are minority students here whose lives are being interrupted,” said Marks.

News 8 reached out to the university, but they have yet to respond. The ISU Black Alumni Network issued a statement demanding that the university president address the issue immediately.