By David Williams, CNN
The Martin County School District in Florida is investigating a photograph showing an organization of the school’s top academics brandishing what appear to be homemade letters expressing racial slur, authorities said Wednesday.
The photo, which circulated widely on social media, shows six academics spelling the word “N***er” with letters large enough to cover the top of their bodies.
The incident happened at Hidden Oaks High School in Palm City, about a hundred miles north of Miami.
“We are moving with the planned speed to interview anyone who may have been involved in this embarrassing incident and, unfortunately, we can verify that the photo is authentic,” said School Superintendent John D. Millay in a statement posted on the neighborhood’s school. web.
The district plans to finalize its investigation within the next 48 hours, according to the statement.
“Students who were involved in this shameful incident will gain due process advantage under federal and state law, and our investigation will not compromise their rights,” he said in the statement. “The District, however, is dismayed and saddened by this. incident contrary to our values and the ideals instilled in our students. “
The district “will impose appropriate disciplinary sanctions on all students who have engaged in this behavior, in accordance with the district’s student code of conduct,” Millay said in the statement, adding that federal law prevents them from identifying students or taking disciplinary action.
On Tuesday, members of the network expressed outrage over the photo’s public comments at a Martin County School Board meeting.
“What we saw was not racism, it went beyond racism. It is terrorism. And that’s what’s happening in our community,” said Marwan Porter, an attorney for Stuart, who warned that incidents like this can motivate long-term attacks like Saturday’s. shooting at a Buffalo grocery store.
Several speakers said the incident why classes on diversity, black history and racism are important.
Martin County NAACP President Jimmy Smith said the district hires more black and brown teachers to better adapt to the region’s diversity.
“You will never solve this challenge until we meet others,” Smith said.
The Martin School District has 18,542 students, according to a 2020-21 report card from the Florida Department of Education.
The report states that 6. 3% of academics are black/African American, 54. 6% are White, and 34. 1% are Hispanic.
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