Racist photo causes uproar at high school
By Kaitlyn Hart, EastIdahoNews.com
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SALMON, Idaho (eastidahonews.com) — A group of Salmon High School students spelling out a racial slur on their shirts behind a mixed-race girl is causing an uproar, causing some parents to say that it’s indicative of a bigger problem at the school.
The now-deleted photo, reportedly posted to a student’s Instagram account, showed the girl lying on the ground with six students standing above her, the letters on six students’ shirts spelling out a racial slur. Those in the photo, including the girl, are flipping off the camera.
EastIdahoNews.com has blurred the students’ faces because some are minors.
Dr. Troy Easterday, Superintendent for Salmon School District 291, posted a video talking about the photo to the Salmon Savages Facebook page on Tuesday morning.
“I am well aware of the current situation happening within a social media post by our Salmon School District students,” says Easterday in the video. “At this time, our administrative team at the Salmon School District is investigating this post and will keep the community aware within the legal confounds of the law.”
Many concerned parents reached out to EastIdahoNews.com, expressing concern over whether the school district will punish the students and saying that students of color are being targeted and bullied at the school.
One concerned parent who wishes to remain anonymous says she worries every day as the mother of mixed-race children.
“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,” says the parent. “I’m afraid if I said too much it would affect my job or my small business.”
Another mother expressed her concern that the school district won’t punish the students and said she is considering pulling her children out of the school district because of it.
“The reason why there’s hate in this community is because no one does anything about it. Period,” she says. “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 are 18. They’re adults. It’s disturbing.”
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