PALOS VERDES, CA — A racist “promposal” from a Palos Verdes High School student is prompting outrage in the South Bay community and online.
A photo circulating on social media shows two teens standing together and laughing while holding a sign that says “Bianca you are racist but I would give anything for you to go with me to prom.” The N-word appears to be highlighted in bold letters throughout the sign.
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A mother of a Palos Verdes student posted the photo on Twitter and asked people to call the school and “condemn this horrific sensibility racism and ignorance.”
Palos Verdes High School will host its prom on Saturday with the theme “wish upon a star.” Several students and parents demanded that the school investigate the photograph, the Los Angeles Times said.
The appearance of the photo on social media prompted a raft of responses. According to the Palos Verdes Estates Police Department, “one such post appeared to be a threat towards PVHS.” That prompted a stepped-up presence of officers at the campus Wednesday. Police said officers tracked down the person who made the possibly threatening post, and “it was determined that the person making the post was not intending any violence, rather it was meant as a — inappropriate —joke.”
Palos Verdes High School Principal Allan Tyner said in a statement to the Los Angeles Times that the two students and their families have been contacted “to inform them that we are forming a response and anticipate severe consequences.”
Tyner also sent a message to the school community that said, “Today I will be meeting with all students, class by class. We will review appropriate behavior and how the use of hurtful racial slurs like the one used on this recent picture posted on social media is unacceptable. I know that this one unfortunate event does not represent us as a community.”
“Racist words and racist acts have no place in our school community,” Tyner continued. “We will rise above this, learn from this, and be a better school community because of it.”
Alex Cherniss, the Superindendent of the Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified School District, sent out a statement to the community that said “The Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified School District is aware of the recent picture which was posted to social media depicting students using an appalling racial slur. Racist words and acts have no place in our school community or in our society.”
“The actions of this small number of students acting in a racist manner do not reflect the values or views of our district students, teachers, parents and administrative staff. This fact was made clear by the prompt and overwhelming response of our community in condemning this intolerable act of hatred,” Cherniss said.
City News Service contributed to this post