Students Start N-Word Effort After Framingham Racist Incidents

FRAMINGHAM, MA — Recent racist incidents in Framingham have spurred students and local educators at Framingham High School to take action. The school's Black Student Union on Monday launched an effort to educate the community about how harmful racism and use of the "N-word" can be.

Last week, three Framingham Youth Football coaches were fired for trading racist messages, and some included use of the N-word. And about a month ago, a Framingham High School student's Instagram displayed a racist image, but school officials determined that the social media account had been hacked.

The students' initiative follows a call Mayor Yvonne Spicer made last month for Framingham residents to take action to combat racism. Spicer made that declaration in the wake of an antisemitic incident at a local middle school.

"We are working on developing an initiative which will help educate about, raise awareness of, and create boundaries for use of the 'N' word in school," Black Student Union President Mira Donaldson said in a statement.

READ: Fire Framingham Youth Football President, Councilor-Elect Demands

Other city groups — the Framingham Student Immigrant Movement, Greater Framingham Community Church, South Middlesex NAACP, Framingham Families for Racial Equity in Education, and Discovering Hidden Gems — will join the students' effort. The initiative will take several forms, according to the students, including:

• Increasing awareness around implicit and explicit bias
• Spreading positive messages about people of color in the community
• Setting up a response plan for any future racist incidents
• Providing education on the history of the N-word, and create a framework where students can communicate about racism with respect

“Now is the time to courageously engage in conversation, education, and pursuit of ideals of justice, equality and power,” said the Rev. Dr. J. Anthony Lloyd of the Greater Framingham Community Church.

Also in the wake of the football coach messages, Framingham residents started a petition to "deplore" racism. The petition had about 240 signatures as of Monday afternoon.