Gwinnett High School Students Stage Protest During Pledge

LAWRENCEVILLE, GA — As many as 100 students at Archer High School in Lawrenceville staged a peaceful sit-in Thursday during the Pledge of Allegiance in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter Movement.

Gwinnett County Public Schools spokeswoman Sloan Roach confirmed that between 75-100 students "sat in the cafeteria this morning upon coming to school and stayed there until after the first period tardy bell rang."

On social media, multiple students made clear that the demonstration was aligned with Black Lives Matter, which is focused primarily on addressing police violence toward members of the black community.

The demonstration came a day after Archer administrators responded to anger over a student who posted racially charged comments on social media.

Principal Ken Johnson wrote a letter to the community saying school officials are working to address the issue with the student and his family.

The student reportedly wrote racial slurs about a number of black people at Archer High.

Thursday's action also comes on the heels of police-officer shootings of black men in Charlotte, N.C., and Tulsa, Oklahoma.