Black students in Hopkins receive racist text messages referencing slavery, district says
HOPKINS, Minn. — School officials in the western Twin Cities say Black students have received racist text messages this week, part of a recent nationwide trend that the officials attributed to Donald Trump's presidential election win.
Hopkins Public Schools superintendent Rhoda Mhiripiri-Reed said the texts reference "slavery and plantations" and come from an "unidentified source." The texts were sent to middle school students in the district, and the police have been made aware.
"Although Hopkins Public School is nonpartisan, we recognize that the outcome of the election has and will continue to spark instances of racism, homophobia, and sexism in school communities across the nation and state, including here in Hopkins," Mhiripiri-Reed said.
CBS News reports at least 17 variations of the text were sent out by phone numbers with area codes spanning at least 25 states and Washington D.C. Texts were received by people in at least 17 states, including Alabama, Texas, Georgia, Florida, Maryland, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Ohio, New York and Massachusetts.
At least eight other schools and universities have reported students receiving racist texts.
NAACP President Derrick Johnson said the messages represent an "alarming increase in vile and abhorrent rhetoric."
There are nearly 7,000 students in Hopkins Public Schools, and almost a quarter of them are Black, according to district data.
"Let us be clear: messages like these have no place in Hopkins Schools," Mhiripiri-Reed said. "We are resolute in court commitment to making our schools safe, inclusive environments for all students, staff, and families.
The superintendent encouraged families to report any such text messages to the district, as well as police.
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison also "strongly" encourages residents who received the texts to file a complaint on his office's website.
"The text messages shared with my Office are disturbing, threatening, and have no place in our society," Ellison said. "My mission is to ensure every Minnesotan can live with dignity, safety, and respect, and I have no tolerance whatsoever for harassment and hate.
The FBI is investigating.
