In a video that was shared on social media, a white student called a Black male student the N-work. The black student then slaps the girl before another student pulls him away. A senior student at the high school organized a protest to bring awareness to the multitude of racist incidents Black students experience at the predominantly white high school. They believe that both students were wrong and should have received the same punishment. They also claim the female student was allowed to go to her class while the boy was sent home. But, according to the school district, both students were disciplined.
Unfortunately, the school district didn’t provide any details of the punishment or whether both students were disciplined at the same time.
According to 11Alive, administrators at LGHS in Georgia are investigating an altercation on campus grounds that resulted in a child being assaulted.
The black student accused of striking the white girl involved in the incident was immediately punished. But, according to students and parents, the girl was not punished. Both students were not identified due to their age.
A parent to a 15-year-old daughter that attends the high school, Komisha Davis, reportedly told 11Alive: “Racism in any shape or form isn’t okay. For you to hear that your child is not safe at a place you send her to every day, that’s devastating. Make the kids know that it’s okay to come to school and learn and not have to be called the N-word.”
According to WSB-TV, a senior student and her friend organized a protest Thursday morning. Her name is Layla Moreau and she said the protest was in response to not just what happened in the video but what happened afterwards.
Layla Moreau reportedly said: “I’ve been called an N-word myself. We decided to take action against it because this is not the first time this has happened at that school or a school in HC. It shouldn’t be two different treatments. Give the same treatment for everybody and not based on their skin color. I just want some change. I’m just tired of the inequality in the school.”
Per reports, the senior student is also organizing a program for Black students to share their concerns in a safe space at the school.
A school district representative released the following statement:
“We were made aware of a matter involving a student using highly inappropriate/offensive and unacceptable language toward another student, which then resulted in an altercation. We cannot state strongly enough how these types of behaviors are not and will not ever be tolerated in HCS.
We are still gathering information pertaining to the matter, but students involved in this incident will be held accountable and appropriate discipline will be issued. Again, we cannot overstate how unacceptable this is and how disappointed we are in these actions. School administrators were able to meet with students on Thursday in a very productive and positive way for students to express their feelings.
It was a great opportunity for both leaders and students to listen and work together. Administrators and staff remain available to listen to and support anyone who needs it.”