SOUTH HADLEY — A high school student’s racist and homophobic social media posts have drawn outrage, prompting a response from school officials.
The videos, which were posted on the social media platform Snapchat and viewed by the Gazette, contain several racist remarks about black people as well as homophobic insults. The student in question is a minor and is not being identified by the Gazette.
“We have within our realm of authority, in accordance to the code of conduct here at South Hadley High School, dealt with the disciplinary consequences with that student,” South Hadley Assistant Principal Patrick Lemieux told the Gazette.
Student discipline is private information, he added, declining to speak about any punishment or under what section of the code of conduct that punishment would be levied.
Attempts to find and reach the student’s family were unsuccessful on Wednesday.
Superintendent Nicholas Young said many students were outraged by the blatant display of bigotry, and that pupils at the high school and at Michael E. Smith Middle School plan to wear black and orange on Thursday in a show of unity against discrimination.
“We just don’t tolerate this,” he said.
But, given that the student did post those racist and homophobic videos, he stressed that the school will try to use the incident as an educational opportunity around issues of systemic inequality.
“We have to use this as a chance for conversations to promote a deep appreciation and respect for individual differences,” Young said.
The videos have drawn reaction across social media, and Town Administrator Michael Sullivan said Wednesday afternoon that his office had received calls from constituents concerned about the postings.
“I went to high school here and apparently nothing’s changed,” one person posted on Twitter. “These are the type of people you’re preparing to put out into society? Do better.”
Young, however, said it is unfair to suggest that this one incident means the school hasn’t been proactive in addressing racism and other forms of bigotry.
He said the school has a series of anti-discrimination education programs already in place. Going forward, he said, educators will talk with students in groups and assemblies on Thursday in the middle and high schools, and school officials are reaching out to neighboring districts and outside experts to bring in someone to address the school about such issues.
“We do not tolerate inappropriate and disrespectful behavior, which is so harmful to our school climate and reputation,” Principal Diana Bonneville said in an email to the Gazette. “The actions of one individual do not speak for all of us — it is not what SHHS believes in nor stands for.”
Young added that the police had been contacted Wednesday to look into whether there was anything that could be deemed criminally threatening in nature.
Police Chief Steve Parentela, however, said the incident was a school matter. Because there was no direct threat made against any one individual, there was no crime committed that would fall under police jurisdiction.
Dusty Christensen can be reached at dchristensen@gazettenet.com.