Chesco HS Students Pose With Pumpkins Carved With Racist Symbols

COATESVILLE, PA — A photo showing several high school students in Chester County posing next to pumpkins carved with racist symbols circulated social media on Tuesday into Wednesday, causing uproar in a local community that has seen its fair share of hate speech in recent weeks and months.

The images show two boys and two girls, students at Coatesville Area High School, standing behind a table with four carved pumpkins. One of the pumpkins has a swastika carved into it, while another reads simply "KKK." The other two pumpkins feature typical jack-o-lantern carvings.

"We are extremely disappointed that any of our students would display this kind of hatred and vile behavior," Cathy Taschner, the Superintendent of the Coatesville Area School District, said in an email to Patch. "It’s reprehensible and intolerable, and this photo causes deep sadness and concern. We work extremely hard to promote a tolerant, respectful, inclusive learning environment, and this is in direct opposition to everything we stand for and believe in."

School officials have turned the photo over to police, and have contacted the parents of the students pictured. It's not yet clear what kind of discipline will be handed down to the students.

"While the law is specific as to the authority it confers upon schools for school-imposed discipline, the District will exercise its full authority it may have within those limits," Taschner said.

Taschner said the school was working with a number of local equity agencies on a response to the issue, including PA Human Relations Commission, Mid Atlantic Equity Center, and NAACP. The school district will be facilitating conversations for students about racism throughout the week.

"We are encouraged by the outpouring of communication from students who reported this, and the many outstanding students who, on a daily basis, continue to do the right thing and who continue to stand in unity."

She added that the photo appeared to be taken outside of school hours and not on school property.

This incident comes just a week after a black baby doll was found hanging from a noose in a locker room at the high school. School officials later determined that the incident was a prank by an athletic team and that there was no intent of racial intimidation.

And back in August, a self-proclaimed white supremacist was arrested for spraying racist and Nazi graffiti in five locations throughout Coatesville and three spots in Valley Township.

Patch file photo