‘There’s No Excuse For This’: Maryland High School Under Fire After Senior T-Shirts Go Out with Design That Looks Like the N-Word and No One Caught It
A Maryland high school district issued an apology and launched an investigation after a high school began distributing senior class T-shirts with a design that resembled an anti-Black racial slur. According to local news outlets, the Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) sent a letter to parents and the school community of Sherwood High School confirming the design on a T-shirt printed for students of the class of 2026 contained a blend of numbers and letters that was made to spell out the N-word. Sensored image of Senior t-shirts. (Credit: Montgomery County Public Schools/MOCO Show Screengrab) District officials said the shirt was distributed to students on Oct. 16. They've since halted distribution and started an investigation to determine how the shirt design came to be approved, according to Bethesda Today, citing the letter. The school system doesn’t have a standard process for approving class T-shirts, schools spokeswoman Liliana López said in an email to The Washington Post. “There is no excuse for this. Whether the incorporation of this slur was intentional or the result of negligence and a failure in our approval processes, it is unacceptable and wrong,” the letter said. ‘The Audacity’: Oklahoma High School Cancels Homecoming After White Students Nonchalantly Pose In Photo Wearing Letters Spelling Out Racial Slur for School Spirit Week The district has requested all seniors to return the shirts and promised to provide them with redesigned apparel at no cost. The senior class photo will also be retaken. Uncensored image of Sherwood High School Senior Class T-shirt. (Credit: Reddit) MCPS said these measures aim to “reclaim this milestone with dignity and respect” and “ensure that no image associated with this incident becomes part of Sherwood’s historical record." The MoCo Show, which first published news of the incident, reported that the district is also providing counseling to students and staff members and will partner with a third-party organization specializing in racial healing to host restorative listening circles for students, staff, and families. Sherwood isn't new to racial scandal. Previous incidents that happened last year, including when school administrators found a rope tied in the shape of a noose on Sherwood's campus in September 2024, as well as offensive, racist language that was published in a yearbook. “Each of these has inflicted cumulative trauma on our students and school community. We must commit to doing better,” the district's letter said. Byron Johns, a co-founder of the advocacy group Black and Brown Coalition for Educational Excellence and chair of the Education Committee for the Montgomery County branch of the NAACP, told BethesdaToday that he heard furious complaints from parents who raised concerns about how the design was greenlit for distribution. But Johns added that he's proud the district acted “decisively” and has made efforts to maintain a welcoming environment and "a safe place for kids to learn.” District officials shared that they are following their Hate-Bias Incident Response Protocol and that an action plan will be shared with the school community. “This is a moment that demands truth, accountability, and sustained commitment,” the letter said.
