Students at a Massachusetts High School Stage a Walkout to Protest a Racist Film Made by a White Classmate

By Ryan Steal

A walkout was held at a Massachusetts high school on Friday morning to protest a racist video created by a White student to demand a change in the school district’s “culture of racism,” a senior school administrator said.

Kevin W. Mulvey, the superintendent of Quincy Public Schools, remarked, “We heard them today.” In an interview with CNN, he termed the walkout as a protest against “racism, hate speech, and injustice.”

He stated that, besides the recent video, students have previously complained about racism in the school district, and that the district recently dealt with another issue involving hate speech and sexual harassment.

According to the Mulvey and a school district news release, a White freshman created a video over a year ago in which he used racist hate speech towards Black individuals, and it just emerged on social media.

On Tuesday, a Black student confronted a White student about the video, resulting in a physical confrontation. Mulvey stated that the White student was hurt and required  treatment for head injuries.

According to the superintendent, students in the walkout demanded disciplinary action against the White student but no disciplinary action against the Black student, as well as an instant change in how the administration handles racism.

Mulvey stated that internet rumors are spreading that just the student who started the fight would be penalized.

“While the specifics cannot be shared, there are serious long-term consequences for the student who created the video,” Mulvey warned, saying the student would face a disciplinary hearing the following week.

School authorities say they were met with an instance of hate speech and sexual harassment when a student-athlete recorded a video that was circulated on social media.

The school district said the film featured “racist and derogatory” remarks against African Americans, despite being made in the name of athletic competition.

“It is a major concern for all of us that these media files reflect popular culture, but the students involved lack the maturity and understanding of their impact on the school community of creating and sharing such content,” the school district said.

According to District officials, an inquiry is ongoing, and “offensive and dangerous behavior” will not be permitted. They went on to say that all the pupils implicated would be held responsible and disciplined appropriately.