Racist text messages sent to Stoughton High School students and Black residents in several states
STOUGHTON - The racist texts sent to Black women, men and students in several states now includes Massachusetts.
Stoughton High school students
Some students of color at Stoughton High School received the spam texts Thursday, according to Stoughton Public Schools, and police have been alerted.
"This particular text, in part, notifies the recipient that they have been "selected to pick cotton at the nearest plantation," the school department said in a statement Thursday night.
"This is part of an abhorrent nationwide trend. People from around the country have reported receiving this text, and others similar in nature, throughout the day today. The source of these text messages is unknown at this time. We ask if any student or staff member receives this text message or a similar one to report it to school administration."
Racist text messages
CBS News found that the texts were sent to people in several other states including New York, Alabama, Texas, Georgia, Florida, Maryland, Pennsylvania, South Carolina and Ohio.
"The FBI is aware of the offensive and racist text messages sent to individuals around the country and is in contact with the Justice Department and other federal authorities on the matter," the agency told CBS News in a statement. "As always, we encourage members of the public to report threats of physical violence to local law enforcement authorities."
"These messages represent an alarming increase in vile and abhorrent rhetoric from racist groups across the country," said NAACP President Derrick Johnson. "These actions are not normal. And we refuse to let them be normalized."
Counselors available in Stoughton
Counselors will be available for students and staff Friday at Stoughton High School.
"We understand that receiving a message like this is profoundly disturbing and can cause emotional distress and fear, especially for our students and staff of color. In no uncertain terms are messages like these acceptable. Stoughton Public Schools stands up against any form of racism, discrimination, or hate," the school department said.
