Six seniors at Desert Vista High School in Phoenix, Arizona face punishment for posing in a picture with t-shirts that spelled out the “N” word racial slur (with asterisks replacing the middle two letters).
Ironically, they wore the shirts on a day when another, larger, group of students wore shirts that formed the phrase “Best You’ve Ever Seen Class of 2016.”
Principal Christine Barela said the incident is “unacceptable,” and though she did not release details of the sextet’s punishment, a Phoenix newspaper reported it was a five-day suspension.
However, a Change.org petition was started calling for the students to be expelled, and demands that Principal Barela resign.
It had already garnered over 10,000 signatures by yesterday afternoon.
The New York Daily News reports:
“Arizona has been stricken with another blatant expression of racism and ignorance,” the petition says.
The petition notes that “the punishment does not fit the total ignorance and cruelty of the crime […]”
“These expressions of racism will not be tolerated any longer,” it concludes.
Phoenix City Councilman Sal DiCiccio posted a response on Facebook, saying that he’d spoken to police and learned the six seniors had been receiving threats.
“The threats against these young girls is unacceptable,” he wrote.
“They made a bad mistake as many teenagers do in life. But, any threats against these young women is going to be taken very seriously.”
Superintendent Kenneth R. Baca issued a letter to parents yesterday in which he noted “Social media has made this an international news story which has led to the spewing of vicious and vulgar hatred toward not only the six teenagers involved in this incident, but also to Desert Vista’s student body and staff …”
In an age where school suspensions are frowned upon, even for violent offenses like fighting, assault and arson, an expulsion for a racial slur seems a huge overreach.
Not to mention, the Change.org petition takes it cue directly from what we’ve seen on many college campuses: If those in charge do not react in a manner acceptable to the offended masses, then they must be purged.
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