An incident transpired in Southwick Regional a Massachusetts middle school, where six eighth grade students were involved with racial bullying. The event took place in a group chat created on February 8 leading into early February 9, on the app Snapchat. In the group chat, the students allegedly communicated racist and hateful remarks, used racial slurs, derogatory pictures and videos. In addition to these unsettling actions the students allegedly made threats targeted at people of color and they allegedly hosted a mock slave auction where they bid on their classmates.
The Snapchat group messaging was brought to the attention of school authorities on February 9. Additionally the Hampden District Attorney Anthony Gulluni got notified about the group on February 15. Following Gulluni’s discovery of the group chat, he called upon the Massachusetts State Police Detective Unit to launch an investigation.
Consequences From the School
Per state law some students including those facing charges were suspended as emergency removal on February 12. A few days later on February 15, several students were formally suspended by the Southwick schooling network. Two of the students got a 25-day suspension and one got a 45-day suspension.
Legal Action Taken Against the Students
As a result of the investigation the six students involved are encountering criminal charges, in connection with the racial bullying incident. On the authority of the district attorney’s office, all six students have been charged with the threat to commit a crime.
Two of the six juveniles who face charges are additionally being charged with interference with civil rights. One of those two is also facing a charge of witness interference. Since all of the students being charged are juveniles their identity cannot be released.
A Closer Look into the Struggles of a Victim
Every act of bullying has a victim who struggles. Allyson Lopez is the mother of one of the victims of the racial bullying incident, who filed a complaint due to the bullying. Her daughter attends Southwick Regional School, and claims that this racism has been going on for months. The family of the victim is confused on how such racist acts could take place during Black History Month.
Allyson’s daughter is described as “kindhearted” and “respectful,” but still could not dodge being a victim of bullying. She has been a victim of racially offensive comments, and recently put up for bid on in a mock slave auction. Allyson felt a sense of betrayal because of how her daughter was treated at school. She “put her into the school system hoping that they take care of her and protect her,” and they failed to do so.
Moving Forward: Preventing More Racial Bullying
Gulluni has said that he has put in place three progressive steps to address the problem of racial bullying. With these three steps he plans to address the racial bullying problem and hopes to avert it in the future. Also, he has plans to endorse empathy and to make stronger hate free communities.
These three steps are composed of teaching a hate and bullying curriculum at the school; a promising collaboration with the Attorney General’s office to develop a specified program to more profoundly confront and resolve the negative influences of bullying, bigotry in racism in schools; along with a newly established state police unit known as the Hate Crimes Awareness Response Team (HARP), whose purpose is to provide guidance to schools and police departments in western Massachusetts in regards of hate crimes and bullying in school.
Reflecting On the Incident
All in all, this shocking case serves as a stark reminder of the continuing racism and prejudice in society, especially among young people. This case emphasizes the importance of having thorough plans that tackle the main reasons for racial bullying by educating and making systematic changes.
In an educational setting students should not be subjected to bullying especially because of their race, it should be a safe setting. No student should not be in attendance of school for these reasons. Actions need to be set in place to maintain a safe learning environment for all students. Moving forward the educational system need to add more precautions to prevent situations like this in the future.
By Jaliyah Triplett
Sources:
NBC News: 6 Massachusetts teens charged in racial bullying incident with mock slave auction on Snapchat
NBC Boston: 6 youths to be charged in Southwick racial bullying incident involving ‘mock slave auction’
Western Mass News: Mother of student targeted by alleged racist bullying at Southwick school speaks out
WCVB: 6 Massachusetts 8th-graders charged in connection with racist group chat, ‘mock slave auction’
Featured Image Courtesy of Alan Levine Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
Inset Image Courtesy of Karen Neoh Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
