Coatesville Students Stage Walkout To Protest Recent Racist Incidents

COATESVILLE, PA — Hundreds of students at Coatesville Area High School staged a walkout on Friday in protest of recent racist incidents at the school, according to multiple media reports and accounts of students on social media.

The walkout comes just days after a photo showing four high school students posing next to pumpkins carved with racist symbols circulated social media.

Students stood in a large semicircle on the lawn outside of the school in what they termed a "Unity Event." The group chanted a number a rallying cries, including:

"What do we want?"

"Justice!"

"When do we want it?"

"Now!"

According to Philly.com, the demonstration began at 7:30 a.m. and was expected to continue until noon.

An investigation into the photograph, which appeared to have been taken off school grounds and outside school hours, is underway. School officials said that they are in contact with the parents of the students in the picture and that the photo has been turned over to Caln Township Police.

"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."

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.

The images show two boys and two girls 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.

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.

Police are on the scene at the school Friday to provide security.

More information will be provided as it becomes available.

Patch file photo