Photo Courtesy of The Grio
After organizing a pretend slave auction to sell their Black classmates, students at North Texas School were disciplined, The Grio reported.
The Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported that the Aledo Independent School District (Aledo ISD) learned of an incident where students at the Daniel Ninth Grade Campus cyberbullied and harassed other students based on their race, according to a statement from Superintendent Dr. Susan Bohn.
The incident warranted an investigation by law enforcement.
According to a screenshot provided to them, the publication also reported a Snapchat group with various names, including “Slave Trade” and a name that includes a racial slur. One of the students wrote in the chat that they would spend $1 on a peer, and another one wrote that they would pay $100 for someone else.
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Activist and one of Parker County Progressives’ organizers, Tony Crawford, stated that the situation was “another in a long line of incidents that are swept under the rug.”
“Can you imagine what it’s like for somebody to put a price on your head?” he said about the students who were victims of cyberbullying. “I cannot imagine the embarrassment and hurt that people you might be friends with are having that conversation.”
On Sunday, Eddie Burnett, president of Parker County NAACP, reportedly learned of the situation but did not specify what type of disciplinary measures would be taken.
The district sent a letter out to all students involved in the incident and to their parents where it was “made it clear that statements and conduct that targets a student because of his or her race is not only prohibited but also has a profound impact on the victims,” Bohn wrote in the statement.
“There is no room for racism or hatred in the Aledo ISD, period,” Bohn added.
“Using inappropriate, offensive, and racially charged language and conduct is completely unacceptable and is prohibited by district policy.”
The statement continued, “This incident has caused tremendous pain for the victims, their families, and other students of color and their families, and for that, we are deeply saddened.”