Monmouth County High School Suspends Student Over Racist Photo: Principal

ALLENTOWN, NJ — A Monmouth County high school student has been suspended after the student posted a photo with a racially charged comment on social media the day after the presidential election, the school principal said.

The photo, posted on social media hours after Donald Trump was elected president, shows black students standing in a cafeteria line at Allentown High School with the caption "Last Free Meal" across the photo, which was shared on Twitter.

Allentown Principal Constance DeNicola Embley said in a letter to parents dated Nov. 17 that the student was immediately suspended.

"Multiple students of many racial backgrounds reported this incident" to school officials, she wrote in the letter that went to all parents in the Upper Freehold Regional School District. "We immediately investigated and verified the posting on the student’s phone. This situation was appalling to me."

The incident was classified as a bias/racial incident under the school's code of conduct, she wrote, and in addition to the student's immediate suspension, New Jersey State Police were notified because bias/racial incidents are against the law.

Allentown High School has an enrollment of 1,252 students, according to the U.S. News Best High Schools report for 2016. White students make up 84 percent of its population, and just 8 percent of the students are economically disadvantaged, the report said, meaning they receive free or reduced-price school lunches. The data is reported by the schools to the federal government, the U.S. News report said.

A school lunch at Allentown High School is $3.60, and includes an entrée, milk and fruit, according to the district’s 2016-17 free and reduced lunch form. Students who qualify, such as a child from a household that receives NJ Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families benefits, can receive a free lunch.

"Others have suggested that this incident may have been a reaction to the presidential election," DeNicola Embley wrote. "As I told students, (regardless of ) whoever is in the White House, my first concern is how they behave in our house: Allentown High School. Nothing excuses poor behavior or racial and ethnic intolerance."

"I was called by a reporter (from the Trentonian, which first reported on the photo) and explained to him that I cannot comment publicly on student issues or student discipline. I did explain that no incident of this type would be tolerated in our high school," DeNicola Embley said. "Some believed that my lack of explanation to the press meant that nothing was done. This could not be further from the truth."

"Not commenting publicly on a student issue, does not mean the issue is not dealt with in the most serious manner allowed by our code of conduct," she wrote.

"No racial/bias incident will be tolerated at Allentown High School," she wrote. "As a school, we are committed to protecting the safety and rights of all of our students regardless of their religion, race, citizenship, gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, or economic background."

DeNicola Embley's letter went on to say meetings were held with faculty, staff and all students to explain what happened, how it was handled, and the district's expectations going forward.

The Upper Freehold Regional School District in western Monmouth County receives students from Upper Freehold Township (also known as Cream Ridge) and Allentown and high school students from Millstone Township under a sending agreement (Millstone has a K-8 school).

DeNicola Embley went on to tell parents and students to contact her if there are any other issues.

"The entire staff is being vigilant for any repercussions," she said. "I cannot change behavior or prevent actions that I do not know about."

The racially charged photo posted to Twitter has been cropped to protect other students visible in the photo.