Students At Kansas High School Stage Walkout After Viral Video Shows Black Teen Suffer Racist Attack
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It’s a nice thought—the idea that racism in America will die out with older generations of racist white people. It’s the kind of optimism that might legitimize the belief that the nation is at least headed toward a post-racial era. Unfortunately, these racist kids keep getting in the way of the narrative.
All one needs to do is Google the words “racist Snapchat” or “racist promposal” to know that the current crop of high school-age teens in America are far from immune to the influence of bigotry and anti-Blackness.
On Monday, at Shawnee Mission East High School in Prairie Villiage, Kansas, dozens of students walked off of campus during school hours in protest of an incident involving a Black female student and a white male student who was caught on video charging towards and attacking the Black teen after calling her the N-word twice.
School Hate Crime: Racist Kid Yells “N Word” While Attacking Black Girl, Breaks Her Nose And Hospitalizes Her. Black Girl Gets Suspended for 5 Days pic.twitter.com/GAyWwGRWN0
— The Kansas City Defender (@KCDefender) November 28, 2023
A Black female student at Shawnee Mission East High School in Kansas was injured in a fight with a white student who used a racial slur. In response, dozens of students walked out of class to protest the handling of this incident & other racial incidents. https://t.co/qqzD0cgjgG
— Ben Crump (@AttorneyCrump) November 29, 2023
From the Kansas City Star:
At 11 a.m. Monday, a mass of students walked out of class and marched outside of Shawnee Mission East, chanting “We want change,” “Have our backs” and “How many more times.”The walkout was sparked by the recent altercation that students characterized as a hate crime and said sent the girl to the hospital. But several of the high schoolers argued it was only the latest in a series of racist incidents they feel have happened without school leaders taking appropriate action.Students held signs that read, “We demand action! Protect students of color,” “We don’t feel safe,” and “Take action now.” They called on school leaders to take stronger steps to eradicate racism and issue more serious discipline for discrimination and hate speech.
It is unclear how the school may have punished the white student, but students at the protest claimed he received a suspension they felt was not a strong enough punishment.Littlejohn said she’s frustrated, claiming students were not offered any support or explanation after the fight. “There was no follow-up, no email sent, no announcement. It wasn’t recognized,” she said.Students who witnessed or heard about the fight helped organize Monday’s protest.
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