‘Should be Removed… Indefinitely’: Outrage After North Carolina School Issues Apology for White Student-Athlete Seen In Viral Video Calling Black Boy the N-Word and Was Reportedly Back at School After One Day
A viral video showing a North Carolina high school student athlete calling a Black football player on a rival team the N-word was circulated widely online, sparking outrage and prompting an apology from school officials. The clip shows several white teens seated at a table in what appears to be a large garage or shop. The individual behind the camera goads his friend to say the N-word, which the athlete howls loudly. A student at West Lincoln High School in Lincolnton, North Carolina, was caught on video saying the N-word. (X/tevin0075) "P***y a** boy," the athlete says. "What's RJ?" the person behind the camera asks. https://twitter.com/tevin0075/status/1955339155140931612 "A f***ing n****r!" the teen athlete says. The clip was posted to Facebook on Aug. 11 and quickly reshared, earning more than 130,000 views by the next day, according to WBTV. According to the person who posted the clip, the students in the video were talking about a Black student-athlete who attends a school in the same county. Administrators at West Lincoln High School in Lincolnton, North Carolina, said the students seen in the video were enrolled at their school, according to a statement posted on Facebook. "It has come to our attention that a video involving several of our student-athletes, containing racist and inappropriate comments, has been circulated on social media. The behavior displayed in this video is deeply disappointing, unacceptable, and does not reflect the values of West Lincoln High School, our athletic program, or our community," the statement reads. West Lincoln school officials say they have "addressed this incident directly with the students and their families," and have taken "appropriate disciplinary action in accordance with school policy." "We want to be clear: racism, discrimination, and derogatory language of any kind have no place in our school, on our teams, or in our community. We recognize the harm such words and actions cause, and we take these matters very seriously," the school wrote. Administrators did not release what disciplinary measures were imposed on the offending students. They said that, as an additional measure, they are working to "implement educational and restorative measures to help ensure that all of our students understand the importance of respect, empathy, and inclusion." "To those who were hurt or offended by the content of the video, we sincerely apologize. We are committed to using this as an opportunity for reflection, learning, and growth, both for the individuals involved and for our school as a whole," the statement continues. The high school then filtered all the comments on the statement, which was posted on its Facebook page, but many parents and residents made separate posts questioning whether the student was punished. Some parents and community members are going as far as to push for the teen to be suspended from sports and or the school. "I still say they should be removed from the team indefinitely and possibly expelled," wrote one person. Another students at the school claim the teen who said the racial slur was suspended for just one day.
