High school students spell n-word on shirts while posing behind mixed-race girl
An Idaho high school has come under fire after an image emerged of a group of students spelling out a vile racial slur on their T-shirts — while standing behind a mixed-race girl.
A student at Salmon High School posted a since-deleted photo on Instagram of six children wearing shirts that spell out the n-word as they stand behind the girl as she lies on the ground, East Idaho News reported.
All seven are also holding up the middle finger.
School district Superintendent Troy Easterday said the students have been reprimanded over the offensive image.
“The Salmon school district, we do not condone, nor ever have what was expressed in the social media post,” he told the outlet. “Disciplinary action at this time has been taken.”
The district also notified law enforcement and board members about the incident, KTVB reported.
Easterday told the outlet that the students said the post was “not maliciously” made.
“At this time the administrative team of the Salmon school district is investigating this post and will keep the community aware within the legal confines of the law,” Easterday said in a Facebook video.
But many parents expressed their concerns that students of color have been targeted and bullied.
One mom of mixed-race children said she worries every day about such behavior.
“The post is disgusting and a hate crime. I’m ashamed and embarrassed. My husband is one of two, maybe three African Americans in this town,” the woman told East Idaho News on condition of anonymity.
“I’m afraid if I said too much, it would affect my job or my small business,” she added.
Another mother said she was worried that students involved would not be punished and added that she is considering pulling her kids out of the district.
“The reason why there’s hate in this community is because no one does anything about it. Period,” the woman told the outlet, also on condition of anonymity.
“These kids are old enough to know right from wrong. Parents, do better. But you can’t blame the parents for this, because some of them [the students] are 18. They’re adults. It’s disturbing,” she added.
Easterday stressed that he had not seen anything like it during his time as the district chief.
“Nothing has ever been brought to my desk that there’s ever been a situation like this, and that it hasn’t been taken seriously. Not while I’ve been here,” he told KTVB. “Our team did not hesitate to act. We did all the right legal steps to make sure disciplinary action was taken.”
