The Mississippi NAACP is alleging that a black student was victim to a pseudo-lynching at Stone County High School on October 13.
During a team football practice, the unnamed African American victim was attacked by students who placed a noose around his neck and “yanked backward.”
No information was released regarding the students’ ages or identities due to their minor status.
The NAACP says that the school district has not responded appropriately to the crime, even by their own standards.
“The school’s own policy calls for the automatic expulsion of any student committing a violent act against another student. Yet, to our knowledge, this policy has not been adhered to in this case. The victim’s mother was told by school officials the discipline action of the students could not be disclosed in compliance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).”
The NAACP also claims that authorities should have been notified, due to the violent nature of the incident. According to police records, no such record was made.
NAACP claims that the crime was mishandled by the school district, and made the case that a failure to follow through in situations like this make students feel as if their safety and well being are not valued or protected.
This is a developing story, but unless the school district takes immediate action to correct this situation, the NAACP will likely follow this letter of complaint with a letter of intent to sue.
