Students allegedly send racist letter to immigrants: 'Pack ur bags tonight and don't say goodbye to any1'
Students at Strath Haven High School in Wallingford, Pa., staged a walkout on Wednesday to protest a threatening, racist letter believed to be distributed by four of their classmates, who police suspect also appeared on social media Tuesday wearing Ku Klux Klan hoods in an ominous photo.
Authorities are investigating the incident, which took place on Snapchat, through which the suspects allegedly broadcast the offensive image along with a hate-filled note ordering “non U.S. Citizens” to leave their homes, otherwise they will be “evicted from your home at 9 am tomorrow afternoon.” The letter suggested that its targets move to “new mexico city” and take jobs at McDonald’s and Denny’s.
The message continued, “Donald [Trump] and his crew think its best if u pack ur bags tonight and don’t say goodbye to any1.” If they don’t comply, the letter reads, people will come to “put u up for adoption” or “execute u and ur kidos.” The threats are apparently supported by “a law against filthy nutheads like yourself.” The note is signed, “Donald Trump and his Crew, specifically Mike Pence #MAGA.”
In addition to the social media posting, the suspects also reportedly harassed their neighbors by posting the letter on their doors. Though the culprits have not been identified, Wallingford-Swarthmore School District Superintendent Lisa Palmer told Philadelphia’s CBS affiliate that investigators believe the two people pictured wearing KKK-style hoods in the image that’s been circulated throughout the community might be high school students.
Students, parents and faculty were outraged so, with the blessing of the school and protected by local police, teens walked out of Strath Haven High School Wednesday afternoon to peacefully protest. One of the teens, Elliot Kurz, said, “It’s horrible what happened, but we had a few discussions about it in class, and we were thinking they probably didn’t mean it, they were just looking for attention.” Another student, Deja Clack, told Philadelphia’s Fox 29 she’s disturbed by the incident but not surprised. “I don’t understand why these people are shocked,” she said. “[Racism] happens, but they’re just starting to now come out and publicly do stuff like this now.”
Clack’s mother, Jayda, told Fox 29, “I’m just so disgusted. I would have never thought that this would go on in this neighborhood. Nowadays you cannot play like that. You just can’t do those things, you can’t say those things, and you definitely can’t make threats … and get it swept under the rug or think you’re not going to have any repercussions.”
“All schools have issues, but our school’s not like that,” Barbara Munn told Philadelphia’s ABC affiliate. Early reports suggest four girls were behind the threatening post, though only two appeared in the picture, and some students, including Hayden Soch, seemed to have an inkling of who the suspected teens are. “I don’t know why they did that,” he said. “I mean, before this they seemed like relatively good people, but I don’t know what they were doing.”
Palmer released a statement to Yahoo Lifestyle about the incident on behalf of Strath Haven High School:
This week we learned of an extremely insensitive and hate-filled letter that was dropped off at the homes of some of our community members. In addition, a photo of two people in white hoods has been circulated around social media. The name and social media handles associated with this photograph appear to be linked to students in our district. However, at this time we don’t have many details and can’t even say who created this photograph and/or social media post.
Upon learning of this photo, we immediately contacted police and are conducting an investigation in coordination with them. We are extremely disturbed and disappointed at the thought that any of our students might be associated with this kind of vile display of racism. We will very closely follow our district discipline policy as it relates to any student found posting this kind of material on a school device or network, or during school hours.
The Wallingford-Swarthmore School District is an inclusive learning community that welcomes and embraces students and families of all races and ethnicities. There simply is no place for hate in our district, and this is a message we intend to reinforce with our students.
Tamyra Durnell, whose nieces and nephews attend Strath Haven High, believes the community and those in positions of power are missing the warning signs when it comes to hate crimes. “That’s how the mass shootings happen all over the country. These clues are here, so they need to react. And these people and children need to be held accountable before it’s too late.”
No discipline has been handed out at Strath Haven High School, as the investigation is ongoing.
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