Racist Petition Shared at Gambrills School Denounced by School Board

GAMBRILLS, MD — The president of the county school board on Monday added the group's condemnation of a racist anti-African American petition that was shared by a few students at Arundel High School in Gambrills. There is absolutely no room in the public schools for the racist language contained on the so-called "Kool Kids Klan" petition distributed Friday at the school, said school board president Stacy Korbelak.

School administrators identified the student responsible for the petition, which asked their classmates to join in celebrating white supremacy. Two other students signed the petition. During the police investigation, detectives consulted with the Anne Arundel County State's Attorney's office to determine if any criminal charge would apply to the incident.

While the language is "reprehensible" it is not a crime, say authorities.

"We all agreed that the petition and behaviors of the students were extremely disturbing and reprehensible, however their actions were found not to rise to the level of a criminal offense," Anne Arundel County Police said Friday after investigating the petition.

Conversations between the school system and leaders of the county's African-American community in the wake of the incident will continue, and similar ongoing discussions with governmental, civic, and faith-based agencies and organizations are likely, Korbelak said.

"No matter the reasons behind its inception or distribution, this petition brings to the forefront once again that, sadly, intolerance exists at all levels of our society," Korbelak said in a statement. “This is an issue far bigger than any single school. We are all bombarded with misguided messages on a daily basis that attempt to divide our society and create intolerance. We must redouble our efforts as a community to remind each other, and especially our children, that (in the words of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.): ‘...Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.’ "

The Board of Education will conduct its own investigation into the petition. Superintendent George Arlotto denounced the racist petition in a letter sent to parents.

"I am shocked, dismayed and, quite frankly angered, that such a piece of material would be produced, much less appear in one of our schools, " Arlotto wrote. "It is unconscionable how anyone could believe that this material is anything but horrifying, and it has absolutely no place in our schools or our school system."

After finding out about this incident, Anne Arundel County Executive Steven R. Schuh said, "This kind of reprehensible behavior has no place in any school in Anne Arundel County. Our schools should be safe places that embrace diversity and reject racism."

State’s Attorney Wes Adams and Police Chief Timothy J. Altomare joined Arlotto in condemning the message of hate voiced in the petition.

“We believe in the cohesion of all communities in Anne Arundel County and we join with our minority community leaders in stating unequivocally that there is only one race, the human race,” Adams and Altomare said.

»Photo of Arundel High School from the Anne Arundel County Public Schools website