Leander Student's 'Slavery Pun' Prom Invitation Sparks Outrage

LEANDER, TEXAS — A Vandegrift High School student's recent "inappropriate and disturbing," slavery-referencing prom invitation to his prospective date has sparked considerable controversy.

Sent on Snapchat and distributed widely after it first circulated, a student is seen holding up a sign while inviting a girl to prom. It read: "If I was [sic] black, I'd be picking cotton. But I'm white, so I'm picking U 4 prom."

The video prompted school principal Charlie Little to issue a statement to parents and students: "We strive to make VHS a welcoming, inclusive environment for all," the principal wrote. "A big part of that endeavor is educating our students about cultural awareness and sensitivity. In the case of social media, we have a process to investigate, assess and respond to social media posts that may disrupt the school environment."

The disruption occurred, as numerous Leander residents expressed shock and outrage at the student's racially charged prom proposal. By Monday, news of the controversy had traveled widely and covered by multiple media outlets as far as San Antonio, including a report by KENS.

The principal said a preliminary investigation suggests the student attempted to create a similar meme from 2018 that garnered national attention.

But Little and others found nothing funny about the message: "There is absolutely nothing humorous about slavery, and its use in this context goes against the values and ethical principles we teach," Little wrote. "While inappropriate and disturbing, the student did not direct this unacceptable message at a particular individual with intent to harass, bully or discriminate. Despite its intent, we will continue to address the extensive concern this post caused our students, teachers, staff and families who take pride in the inclusive culture of our campus."

Little said a punishment for the transgression is being explored per the schools code of conduct while asking residents to respect the privacy of the student who sent out the offending message.