POWHATAN COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) — On Monday, March 19, the Powhatan County School Board finally publicly addressed concerns from community members after an image of a Powhatan High School student with a racial slur and threatening message written on her arm went viral online.
After the meeting was rescheduled and questions went unanswered for weeks — students, educators and parents flooded the Powhatan High School auditorium to talk about the issues at play.
Some of the county’s youngest community members gave attendees a look at what they’re experiencing in Powhatan’s schools. For hours, there were cheers, chants, “Boos” and even tears as people pleaded with the school board to listen to their concerns.
“Make no mistake, these were death threats and they should have been treated as such,” one speaker said.
The controversy even brought members of the original Black Panther Party to the meeting. They condemned the photo and noted that this language in it is considered a federal offense outside of school, prompting the question of why it only resulted in an in-school suspension for the students involved.
Community members who spoke at the meeting said the problem runs deeper than this one image.
“I now have to take the time out of my day to come ask adults to do their job,” a 13-year-old student said. “Protect me.”
The young girl looked directly at the panel of adult school board members as she spoke.
“I feel as if I can’t report anything,” she cried out. “Because I know y’all will keep it on the low, give little investigation and consequences.”
One seventh grader said he started the school year inspired and excited, but that quickly changed. He recalled an incident which he said opened his eyes to the racism imbedded in the school’s disciplinary process. He added that, every single day, students bully and harass him because of the color of his skin.
“A boy kept pushing me and called me racial slurs one day,” He began. “I stood up for myself and pushed him.”
However, he was the one who was punished with in-school suspension.
A Powhatan parent who spoke at the meeting said it was his daughter’s birthday, but he spent the night at the meeting, because he fears history is repeating itself — rather than prompting change.
“I graduated from here 20 years ago and dealt with it then, so you know what this tells me? The same kids I went to school with… they are re-teaching their kids the same things, so that my kids have to deal with the same thing,” he said.
Some questioned the scale of the problem, including a Caucasian man who took to the podium Monday evening.
“I’m not saying it’s not happening… I’m just saying I haven’t had that experience, and I’ve been here 22 years,” he said.
Seemingly in response to attendees who shaded doubt over the degree of racism students are experiencing, one parent addressed the crowd.
“For those saying you never experienced it…do you have enough stories now or do you still not see it? Thank you.”
I total, more than 50 people begged the Powhatan County school system to take their experiences seriously. The school board agreed there’s a need for change and proposed a workshop to further discuss the issues.
