Faculty at Attleboro High School in Massachusetts are investigating after racist graffiti was left behind in one of the bathrooms.
The graffiti made reference to president-elect Donald Trump and singled out minorities.
Principal Bill Runey said, “I was mortified. I was walking through the cafeteria after lunch and one of our seniors stopped me and said ‘Mr. Runey this is something that you need to see right away.’”
It was a picture of political and racial graffiti in a boy’s bathroom.
He said, “The graffiti was racist in nature. It did reference the Ku Klux Klan. Uttered some profanities towards a particular ethnic group.”
Runey said after it was brought to his attention staff removed it immediately, but cleaning off the wall hasn’t cleansed his feelings about the situation.
He said, “We take the word Pride, we’ve turned it into an acronym. Personal Responsibility, Respect, Individuality, Determination and Excellence, and individuality and respect right there in the idle of the word are two things that have been significantly violated in this case.”
Massachusetts
The latest news from around the state
A student – who wishes to remain anonymous – agrees.
They said, “That’s not appropriate. That’s terrible we’re all people we should be together not separated.”
Does this act show a divide between students here at Attleboro High? Principal Runey said it shouldn’t – noting success of mock political debates between students during the presidential campaign.
He said, “We try to prompt as much student voice as possible and for someone to know that they have the opportunity to have forums within the school that they can say things that they believe, obviously in a respectful tone, to do this anonymously and cowardly is just so disheartening.”
The school is reviewing video footage around the bathroom where the graffiti was found.
The principal encourages students with any information to come forward.
He’s also asking parents to trust in him and his staff – that this will be handled appropriately.
