Second Video With Racial Slur Involving Southlake Carroll Students Surfaces
SOUTHLAKE, Texas (CBSDFW.COM) - Carroll ISD and Southlake leaders are responding after a second video showing students using a racial slur surfaces on social media.
Carroll ISD revealed Wednesday evening two of four people in that new video showing teens using a racial slur are Southlake Carroll students.
The school district said the students were disciplined but not expelled.
"I think more than anything we need to realize this is not a Southlake problem or a Carrollton problem it is a worldwide problem. And it is definitely a problem that won't go away overnight," said Julie Thannum, Assistant Superintendent for Board and Community Relations in Carroll ISD. "I think we're gonna have to change the overall culture in the community and I think we all have to stick it out together for the long term."
At least one teen in the video immediately apologized according to the district.
In a statement on Facebook, Southlake Mayor Laura Hill wrote, "Today we are dealing with another video with the same racial slur that rocked our city just a few short months ago. I am at a loss for words, at least words that are becoming a Mayor. I will not allow this to become a beat down on Southlake again, but I am going to say, parents we had better wake the heck up..."
CISD sent out the following letter on the matter:
Dragons,
We were notified by some of our students last night about another inappropriate video with racial slurs shared by local students on social media. Because of the disruption to the educational environment, our campus administrators have already taken steps to consistently apply the Student Code of Conduct to the extent allowable under the law. We are acting swiftly and consistently; behavior that involves derogatory speech that targets individuals or groups of individuals for their ethnicity, race, religion, sexual orientation or disabilities will not be tolerated in Carroll ISD.
Not all of the students in this video are Carroll/Southlake teens, and CISD administrators have been working with local police, School Resource Officers and parents. Although an apology was posted by the student seen most prominently in the video, it does not undo the harm and hurt felt when racial slurs are used. This type of speech will always be unacceptable and quite frankly, makes us angry and sad.
We are proud of our students who came to the Administration and are working with us to enact change. We are even more resolved today to move forward in our efforts to promote cultural competence. By partnering with our District and Campus Diversity Councils and joining together as a community, we believe we can make a difference.
Racism is not welcome in Carroll ISD or in Southlake. It is a world problem. We believe it is also a heart problem. And while we care about all students and must continue to educate them, we can also work together to set expectations and consequences for inappropriate behaviors. We join with our city leaders in asking parents to partner with us to enact positive change.
We choose hope, love and acceptance and will concentrate on those goals moving forward.
CISD School Board & Leadership Team
