Racist Videos 'Disgusting' : Brookline Superintendent

Update: Students at Brookline High have staged a walkout Thursday morning. Follow along live here.

BROOKLINE, MA — After two racist videos made by current and former Brookline High School students circulated on Twitter recently, a couple of parents took to social media and the Brookline Superintendent of Schools sent out a letter to families.

"We are disgusted and deeply disturbed that any member of the BHS community would make such vile, hate-filled videos," Superintendent Andrew Bott wrote in the email. He called the videos unacceptable.

Bott said his office found out about the first video last week, investigated and is working on taking disciplinary action against those involved. There is also an investigation into the second video, he said.

"Our team at BHS is currently planning community supports to put in place for students tomorrow," Bott wrote. "Through these steps, we will ensure opportunities for students to share their perspectives on the incidents, our response to the videos, and our ongoing work to strengthen the BHS school culture."

One of the videos shows three teens crowding around a smartphone screen. One, a person of color, is using the N-word at least six times. The other two teens, who appear to be white, don't seem to say the entire word. The person of color graduated from Brookline last year and at least one of the other teens in the video is a current student, other Brookline High School students told Patch.

A second video shows three teens in a car with an adult driving. Two of the teens appear to use the N-word in reference to the older driver. It's unclear if that adult is a relative or a driver for a company. Neither incident appears to take place at the school.

Still, several people took to Facebook to discuss what impact this had on the culture of the high school. One parent expressed concern for her soon-to-be high school student. Some called for the students to be expelled. Others worried that doing so wouldn't solve the problem.

"This is a situation that cries for application of restorative justice principles," wrote one person.

A Town Meeting member lamented that an adult in one of the videos appeared to do nothing.

"Looking at the first video the kids seem to be at a party and probably under the influence of something. I say this because not only the words are disgusting but the actions are. The second one is disturbing because the kid refers to the man driving the car as his **. The man just smiles on like he’s sharing the joke. It would have been a great moment to pull over and say 'what the hell???'" one Town Meeting member posted in a public Facebook group about the incident.

Members of a special program at the high school for students with high GPAs, called African-American and Latino Scholars, said the teens mention the program in one of the videos and that they are personally offended by it.

Brookline High senior Bianca Yurneta said she thought things were getting better at the high school when it came to handling racism, but she was disappointed and somewhat angry to hear that one of the students involved in the video was only mildly disciplined — a one-day in-school suspension.

"What's one day of suspension going to do?" she said.

However, a note sent by the superintendent indicated that discipline had not yet been completed.

Courtney Lima, also a senior at the high school, said she is in the Scholars Program and that the color of the people who used the N-word doesn't matter to her. The message cut deep, and it was spoiling her senior year.

"It's 2017 in Brookline Massachusetts," she said. "They should know better."

Lima and Yurnet said they want an apology.

See the full email from the Superintendent below:

November 29, 2017

Dear Families,

We write to make you aware of two deeply disturbing videos recently made by former and current Brookline High School students. On Wednesday of last week, the first racist video was brought to the attention of members of the BHS faculty and administration. Today, BHS learned of a second video created by a different student that uses the same racist language. We want to make clear that on both a personal and professional level, we are disgusted and deeply disturbed that any member of the BHS community would make such vile, hate-filled videos.

While it is hard to fathom the intent of such videos; their impact is clear and concerning. They degrade, dehumanize, and diminish our community. More importantly, they make many students feel unsafe and unsure of their standing in the BHS community. We want to be clear - these types of videos and behavior are unacceptable and have no place in our community.

As soon as the high school became aware of the first video, the BHS administration immediately launched an investigation and provided support for the student targeted in the video. This initial investigation has been completed, the individuals involved identified, and BHS is following through with appropriate disciplinary consequences. The team at BHS has now begun an investigation into the second video and will follow through with appropriate consequences upon completion of this investigation. We are engaged in the work required to support the students who were personally targeted.

Our team at BHS is currently planning community supports to put in place for students tomorrow. Through these steps, we will ensure opportunities for students to share their perspectives on the incidents, our response to the videos, and our ongoing work to strengthen the BHS school culture. We believe that our students as learners and leaders will help us become the school community everyone deserves.

Sincerely,

Anthony Meyer
Headmaster
Brookline High School

Andrew Bott
Superintendent
The Public Schools of Brookline

This is a breaking news update. More to come.

Photo by Jenna Fisher/Patch