Albany High Students Unify In Wake Of Racial Incidents
ALBANY (CBS SF) – Students at Albany High School gathered Friday in a show of support and unity in the wake of several recent on-campus racially charged incidents.
Officials said a group of male students targeted female African-American students with racially offensive photos on Instagram. Some of the posts featured nooses and KKK images.
"I don't think any of that is funny," said Albany High student Anika Mallard. "I would never say any of those things to entertain people ... Obviously, you have to be thinking those thoughts and be a little racist to find that funny."
Her mother, Ann Daly-Mallard, saw no humor at all in the incident.
"This was no joke," she said. "To me, this was a hate crime, they hated these girls"
Officials said there were also reports of students giving each other Nazi salutes as they walked down the halls of the school.
When the district launched an investigation into those reports, school officials found out that the salutes have been going for a while.
However, school officials were also quick to point out that the incident only involved a small group of students. The vast majority of the student body is standing up against racism as a united front.
Last Sunday, there was an anti-racism rally last weekend and a unity rally was slated to be held on Friday night.
The school is also looking into disciplinary actions against the students and reviewing its policies against on-campus racism.
"We are taking an honest look at the policies, practices and expectations that will underscore our commitment to safe and welcoming schools for all," Superintendent Val Williams said in a letter to the parents.
There will also be a school board meeting on April 18th to discuss the incidents and consider actions to take in their wake.