'Hate crime': Idaho high school students face disciplinary action after posting photo using racial slur
SALMON, IDAHO: Troy Easterday, superintendent for Salmon School District 291 in Idaho, recently revealed that several high school students are facing disciplinary action after their photo spelling a racial slur on their shirts sparked fury among community members.
The photo, which has since been deleted, was posted to Instagram by a student at Salmon High School earlier this week.
In the controversial picture, a mixed-race girl was seen lying on the ground, with six other teens standing over her, with letters spelling out a racist slur written on their clothes.
All students in the picture had their middle fingers raised to the camera, according to Daily Mail.
What actions were taken against Salmon High School students?
On Tuesday, September 26, Easterday posted a video to Facebook, saying that an investigation was launched against the students as soon as the school became aware of the offensive post.
"As superintendent of the Salmon School District I am well aware of the current situation happening with a social media post by our Salmon School District students,” he said in the video.
“At this time the administrative team of the Salmon School District is investigating this post and will keep the community aware within the legal confines of the law,” he continued.
Easterday continued by noting that nothing like that had happened before in his tenure as superintendent.
“Nothing has ever been brought to my desk that there's ever been a situation like this and that it hasn't been taken seriously. Not while I’ve been here," Easterday told KTVB.
"Our team did not hesitate to act. We did all the right legal steps to make sure disciplinary action was taken,” he continued.
He said the district also reached out to police and board members.
"Salmon School District does not condone, nor has never condoned what was expressed on social media today. Disciplinary action has been taken," Easterday said in another video, posted on the district's Facebook page.
What do parents say about the offensive photo of Salmon High School students?
His explanation, however, did nothing to appease the parents who claimed students of color were being targeted and bullied at the school.
One parent called the post a 'hate crime,” saying that she worried every day as the mother of mixed-race children.
"I’m ashamed and embarrassed," she told East Idaho News, adding, "My husband is one of two, maybe three African-Americans in this town."
She said she was afraid to speak out as "I’m afraid if I said too much it would affect my job or my small business."
Another mother said she was thinking about pulling her children from the school district, as she feared the offending students would not be disciplined properly.
"The reason why there’s hate in this community is because no one does anything about it. Period," she said, adding, "These kids are old enough to know right from wrong. Parents do better. But you can’t blame the parents for this, because some of them are 18. They’re adults. It’s disturbing."