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Three Linganore High School seniors have been disciplined for an alleged "senior prank" that included a racist epithet spelled out on school property on Monday, a county school official said on Friday.
A video collage circulating on social media this week showed a photo of the epithet, along with other images that were part of the prank, according to a statement from Linganore High School Principal Michael Dillman.
Dillman said the epithet was directed toward African American students and by the time school officials were notified on Monday, the epithet had been removed.
School officials immediately investigated the incident, according to Dillman.
In his statement on Wednesday, Dillman wrote, "While it appears that this video was created as a 'prank,' we do not take this incident lightly and we recognize the harm done by the hateful speech directed toward Black African American students."
He added that FCPS has no tolerance for discriminatory language and hate speech and that officials are committed to preventing and eradicating racism at the school.
Brandon Oland, communications manager for Frederick County Public Schools, wrote in an email that "appropriate discipline was given" to the three seniors.
When asked what disciplinary actions were taken, Oland wrote that the school system's policy is to not disclose that information.
Oland said FCPS discerned that the video collage was a senior prank because it was shared on social media on the seniors' last day of school and included the students engaging in "silly acts," along with posing next to the racial slur.
The Frederick County Sheriff's Office was initially involved in the investigation, but sheriff's office spokesperson Todd Wivell said on Friday that the state's attorney office advised that there were no criminal charges that would apply.
Wivell said this was strictly an FCPS internal investigation.
FCPS Superintendent Cheryl Dyson addressed the incident and investigation at a Board of Education meeting on Wednesday.
"I was very saddened about an issue that happened at Linganore High School — the n-word being used, again ...," Dyson said. "I just want to be clear: We are going to discipline our students for being disrespectful."
Dyson said those acts do not represent what FCPS stands for and there would be consequences for the students' actions.
"Let's not have any more of the racial intimidation and bias towards each other," she said. "We are here to care for and take care of each other."
Willie Mahone, president of the NAACP's Frederick chapter, said in an interview on Friday that what occurred at Linganore was a systemic issue that requires a transparent, school systemwide investigation on how these matters are handled.
"The investigation should extend beyond this incident. The investigation should be of the overall system," Mahone said.
Mahone said he was not surprised that the incident, which he called a "pestilence," occurred, yet it was "abominable."
Mahone said the racist epithet requires a strong message to students and the community that the incident was not simply a prank, but quite serious.
Students are impressionable, Mahone said, and it's the school system's responsibility to ensure that they are good citizens.
"They are malleable," Mahone said. "We have an opportunity in our public school system to help produce the kind of citizens that we want to have and we should take advantage of that, as opposed to treating it in a defensive posture."
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(30) comments
Do you people not get what this was about??? It was a prank, not a racist thing, but most likely a direct result of the music these kids listen to. That's what it's all about. If you listen to most Rap music, every other word is the N word - literally! I can almost 99% guarantee you it was associated to that music. I don't know why, but more white kids listen to Rap music than probably any other and they mimic what they hear. Yes, those of you who think this was a racist thing, think again, and yes, I'm rolling my eyes.
Trek; if you are doing a prank then you have your choice of words. A-hole might work. The N word does not work. You are apparently one of those who does not understand the concept of context. A black person may call another the n-word in some situations. But that does not mean a white person can. As I have related here before, this is similar to ME being able to call my wife "sweetie" but that does not mean YOU can call her "sweetie". Get it? There is context that determines appropriateness.
I get that Shifty, but I'm telling you where this all came from - my 20-year-old and his friends told me a much. Obviously, you don't listen to Rap music! It's funny how black people can call each other the N word but if a white person uses it in the same context the Rappers do, they are immediately racist. It's a strange dichotomy. Open your mind a little bit and think about it.
Trek; if you would read carefully you would see that I explained why this is not a "dichotomy". It is all about context. I can call my best friend something that I cannot call some random person on the street, for instance.
Linganore principal Dillman should be asked to resign on the basis of his characterizing this racist act as a “prank”. He should never have dismissed it by using that word. His lack of seriousness is appalling.
I can assure you, Dr. Dillman takes this VERY seriously. He has been through a very agonizing few days dealing with a very careful and legally bound investigation to determine who the responsible parties were and what consequences were supported by the system. His label of "prank" is contextual and not a commentary on the level of seriousness he has assigned to this egregious act. He has acted in every way as a professional every step of the way and has communicated his wishes to all to not have this "prank" override the celebration of the accomplishment of the class of 2023. There is a lot of cruelty, ignorance, and immaturity out there and Dr. Dillman is showing a lot of class in pushing back on all of it. The staff at LHS has been delt a blow to the gut. They do not want the actions of a few to diminish the good that has been achieved by so many. I'd also call this what it was, a stupid "prank" for shock value and to make a stupid statement about the world that ignorance wants to create for itself. Unfortunately, there is a culture that has passed down hatred and it has always been hard to label it and push back on the programming of hate on the home front. Dr. Dillman has pushed back by doing what he can. These students will not walk at graduation. That is the limit of what he can do and he is doing it.
DM, thank you for providing context.
There is no context in which this is a “trick intended to be amusing”. Look up the definition of prank, if you don’t know what it means.
So you think it was a prank and a joke, too?
Dillman needs to apologize for characterizing the act of hate as a prank.
Shame on you for dismissing the pain this caused as something funny.
It gets harder and harder to justify that this is "the few"
Agree! Characterizing it as a 'prank' undermines and attempts to dilute the blatant intent.
“Pestilence” is what it has been called. Yes, racism is a pestilent thing used to divide Americans (& people in general). Terrible wars were fought & many killed…yet here we are, again. I don’t know how serious these young people were regarding their “prank” but my tolerance for such things more limited the older I get.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/books/2023/05/18/fever-heartland-ku-klux-klan-timothy-egan-review/
***The most fundamental answer, unfortunately, is that bigotry — xenophobia, antisemitism and particularly racism — has always managed to find a receptive audience in American life. Depending on the moment and the context, that audience can be large or small, but it invariably seems to exist in some form. “A vein of hatred,” Egan writes, “was always there for the tapping.”***
This paragraph is from the book noted at the top of the comment. It seems to fit in with the subject of the article.
Not allowing them to graduate would probably be a good first step, I think. Perhaps allow them to get their diploma after working, say, eight weeks at the food bank or something useful.
"publicly." My spelling may be ignorant, but my ethics aren't.
At least you publically offer your ignorance. As the uncle to two upstanding mixed race nephews of the same age group, people like you are the problem. And you just don't see it. Keep watching the White Greivance Network, it's wonderful for your mind. Those women asked for it, as well, they shouldn't have dressed that way.
If these three brats are allowed to march with their graduating class, but a kid wearing a sacred Native American stole cannot, there’s something really wrong at FCPS.
Yes, CD, that’s correct. Get over it. Teach your children better.
Way to turn it back on the people being insulted. I guess in your mind then it’s okay what happened?
Second time for the exact same issue at LHS. C'mon Lancers, do better. Racist crap like this isn't funny.
racism has been a problem at that school for decades - both from parents and students. my son was the target of racism there more than once. it's just their culture and they have no interest in changing. Everyone knows it. It is an embarrassment.
It is time to stop dismissing the low class and egregious racism and homophobia. Homophobes and racists are the most insecure and inane cowards ever. I can care less how old they are because they know better. They know right from wrong. It’s time to stop making excuses for these kids running around and terrorizing communities. Hold them accountable and give them real consequences. They shouldn’t walk on graduation day no matter who their parents are. Also, the colleges they applied to should be notified about this so they can decide if they want low culture beings like this on their campus terrorizing their other students who deserve to be here unlike them.
Amen! Time to hold these kids accountable. I grew up in Frederick and played sports, there's always been racial issues at Linganore and Middletown. It's time to for FCPS to do better before kids start taking matters into their own hands to address the issue.
Just one question, Will they be marching with other seniors to receive their diploma?
This is not a prank. These seniors are in the 17 and 18 year old range. Have they really made it to the twelfth grade without realizing the seriousness of this matter?? Since they are graduating, just what serious consequences are even possible? I trust this "prank" is not indicative of Frederick County graduating seniors.
There is a history of this at Linganore. Nothing ever changes on this issue in Frederick County it seems.
Children do not hate, they are taught to hate by their parents. And these kids will most likely not learn any lesson here and will teach their children to hate "others".
"Children do not hate, they are taught to hate by their parents."
Not necessarily. Some kids are independent enough to look at the world around them, see what's happening, and make their own decisions.
So you think racism is a good and natural reaction too ….what, exactly?
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