A high school has cancelled its homecoming party after students posed for a photo wearing T-shirts with letters spelling out a racial slur.
The six white students at Tishomingo High School each wore a letter that spelled out the word n**ger, the photo showed.
The district’s superintendent, in response, issued an apology Thursday and canceled homecoming activities and Friday’s football game. He called the display an “extremely bad decision.”
Last week, students were told to wear t-shirts printed with random Scrabble letters for a spirit week activity.
They were told that whoever could form the word with the most points would win, paving the way for the students’ prank. None have been identified, but the photo of their faces continues to provoke backlash days later as it spreads across the internet.
The photos show the six students were wearing a letter spelling out the word n**ger. None of them were identified due to privacy laws, but their faces have appeared on the internet.
It happened at Tishomingo High School last week during Oklahoma Spirit Week. Tishomingo is a city of just over 3,000 people.
“These young people had no fear, no doubts, no consideration for others,” one person wrote in a Facebook post sharing the photo.
‘Audacity, boldness, recklessness, stupidity and lack of conscience.’
“This is the kind of thing that keeps hate going in the world,” another added, as the small town reacted to the incident.
“Teach your children to be respectful,” they added, ahead of the school’s now-cancelled homecoming game.
Brandon Moreland, the district’s superintendent, responded himself in a statement sent Thursday, the day before the big game.
“Racism and discrimination, in any form, will never be tolerated or accepted on our campus and does not reflect the values of our students, school or community,” the Tishomingo Public Schools staff member said.
‘Our student body and staff include community members of all backgrounds, races and religions, which is one of the many aspects that make our campus exceptional.’
Last week, students had been asked to wear T-shirts emblazoned with random Scrabble letters for a spirit week activity. They were told that whoever could form the word with the most dots would win, which paved the way for the students’ prank.
Several Internet users who appeared to be from the city suggested that those seen in the photo were football players from the school.
In a separate notice sent around 4:30 p.m. that day, Moreland detailed how all Tishomingo Public Schools homecoming activities, including the parade and football game, would be canceled due to what he described as “safety concerns.”
“While it is unfortunate that the actions of a few are impacting a long-standing tradition enjoyed by many in our community, discussions with our local law enforcement partners reinforce the district’s decision to cancel,” the second notice reads.
The decision, he said, was made in hopes of “prioritizing the safety of Tishomingo and Antlers students, fans and participants.”
Neither offered information on the identities of the offending students, but some online who appeared to be part of the close-knit town of 3,000 suggested those depicted in the photo are Tishomingo High School football players.
Moreland’s letters did not confirm whether the students were football players and cited privacy laws that prohibit the district from sharing details about the situation.
The district chief said school administration quickly contacted the parents of the students involved, leading to “immediate” disciplinary action. It is unclear what those sanctions entailed.
Brandon Moreland, the school district’s superintendent, issued an apology Thursday in response, while canceling homecoming activities and Friday’s football game.
He did not identify the students, but said school administration quickly contacted the parents of the students involved, resulting in “immediate” disciplinary action. It is unclear what those punishments entailed.
“We recognize the vital role of education and remain steadfast in our dedication to fostering a culture of respect, integrity and responsibility among our student body and the community at large,” the statement added.
‘The district is grateful to our local law enforcement partners who continue to provide TPS with tremendous support as we work through this difficult time.’
He went on to reiterate that racism and discrimination in his schools would not be tolerated, before promising to keep a close eye on the situation.
DailyMail.com has contacted the school district for comment.