Sarasota student makes racist prom proposal
Elizabeth Djinis
Sarasota student makes racist prom proposal
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Riverview High School says it is investigating.
SARASOTA COUNTY -- A Riverview High student is under fire after using a racist sign to ask his girlfriend to the school’s prom.
The sign, reading “If I was black, I’d be picking cotton, but I’m white, so I’m picking u 4 prom,” made the rounds on Twitter Sunday night. Riverview students found the image on the female student’s Snapchat, with a caption of two heart-eye emojis, implying that she was excited about the request.
By Monday morning, various Twitter posts had already received hundreds of retweets and favorites. One student tweeted out the image with the comment: “He seems to not know about America’s history. Racism is a problem. Definitely should not be allowed to go to the prom!!”
School district spokesperson Tracey Beeker confirmed Monday morning that the student attended Riverview and the sign was under investigation by the school district. She said administrators have been speaking to the student and his parents on the phone since Sunday evening.
A robocall was sent to Riverview parents Monday morning, administrators said.
Riverview senior Anton Kernohan, who has been involved in planning gun control protests at the school, said everyone he had talked with at the school was “disgusted” with the sign.
“But I think it is actually important that this issue occurred on some level,” he said Monday. “It shows that racism is still alive and well in our society, and it shows that racism is still alive in my generation and it is something that we as the youth will have to continue to fight against.”
Riverview’s prom will be held May 5, 2018 at the Hyatt Regency Sarasota, according to the district’s website.
Elizabeth Djinis
Sarasota student makes racist prom proposal
Most Popular
Our Picks
Riverview High School says it is investigating.
SARASOTA COUNTY -- A Riverview High student is under fire after using a racist sign to ask his girlfriend to the school’s prom.
The sign, reading “If I was black, I’d be picking cotton, but I’m white, so I’m picking u 4 prom,” made the rounds on Twitter Sunday night. Riverview students found the image on the female student’s Snapchat, with a caption of two heart-eye emojis, implying that she was excited about the request.
By Monday morning, various Twitter posts had already received hundreds of retweets and favorites. One student tweeted out the image with the comment: “He seems to not know about America’s history. Racism is a problem. Definitely should not be allowed to go to the prom!!”
School district spokesperson Tracey Beeker confirmed Monday morning that the student attended Riverview and the sign was under investigation by the school district. She said administrators have been speaking to the student and his parents on the phone since Sunday evening.
A robocall was sent to Riverview parents Monday morning, administrators said.
Riverview senior Anton Kernohan, who has been involved in planning gun control protests at the school, said everyone he had talked with at the school was “disgusted” with the sign.
“But I think it is actually important that this issue occurred on some level,” he said Monday. “It shows that racism is still alive and well in our society, and it shows that racism is still alive in my generation and it is something that we as the youth will have to continue to fight against.”
Riverview’s prom will be held May 5, 2018 at the Hyatt Regency Sarasota, according to the district’s website.
