Source: Matt Cardy / Getty
The last few days of the Black History Month news cycle is out of pocket.
According to a report in 22 News, a group of white students at Southwick Regional High School are being accused of calling Black students the N-word, creating a “slave auction” on Snapchat called “Black people are low class,” and other forms of racist bullying. Southwick Regional is located near Springfield, Massachusetts, so, it should come as no surprise that the school did absolutely nothing to curb this behavior after it was reported.
Allyson Lopez, the mother of the 13-year-old girl who was subjected to these attacks, says that she spoke to school administrators but ultimately, no one was ever held accountable.
“I need for her to be safe and I need to know that she’s comfortable and not doing it because she knows she has to. But at the same time, I want the school to take accountability. As we said, it’s 2024 and racism is real and it’s alive but we all know that. As educators in a school system, I think it’s really important for them to practice what they preach,” said Allyson.
The Hampden District Attorney’s Office is investigating the incident and have vowed to “prosecute any criminal violations vigorously.”
District Superintendent Jennifer Willard has released a statement about the incidents following the growing backlash and public profile of the alleged racism at her school.
Southwick-Tolland-Granville Regional School District Superintendent Jennifer Willard reports that on Monday, February 12, 2024, the District sent an email to the school community informing them of a “highly inappropriate and racist conversation on Snapchat that involved students at Southwick Regional School.” The community was informed that the District had begun an investigation while also informing them that the Southwick Police Department had been notified.
The statement goes on to say that the school district has concluded their investigations but due to laws regarding student privacy, they are not at liberty to reveal names or if any disciplinary action was taken.
Hopefully, someone will release all that information online to embarrass the students and shame their families.
