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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
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| White high school student: ‘Black Lives’ don’t matter | White high school student: ‘Black Lives’ don’t matter |
| (about 11 hours later) | |
| A viral video recording of a suburban white Maryland teenager disparaging the Black Lives Matter movement with inflammatory racist pronouncements has prompted a swift response from local school officials. | A viral video recording of a suburban white Maryland teenager disparaging the Black Lives Matter movement with inflammatory racist pronouncements has prompted a swift response from local school officials. |
| Howard County superintendent Renee Foose described the video as “disturbing,” and wrote a letter to parents Thursday noting that student’s comments offered “a teachable moment.” | Howard County superintendent Renee Foose described the video as “disturbing,” and wrote a letter to parents Thursday noting that student’s comments offered “a teachable moment.” |
| The 30-second video shows a student at Mt. Hebron High School, in Ellicott City, saying “who the [expletive] cares about some black man who dies?” The student goes on to say that black lives do not matter because “they are an inferior race, OK?” | The 30-second video shows a student at Mt. Hebron High School, in Ellicott City, saying “who the [expletive] cares about some black man who dies?” The student goes on to say that black lives do not matter because “they are an inferior race, OK?” |
| The video ends with the student grabbing a five-dollar bill and holding it up to the camera to display the face of president Abraham Lincoln. | The video ends with the student grabbing a five-dollar bill and holding it up to the camera to display the face of president Abraham Lincoln. |
| “This guy is a traitor to the white race,” the student said. | “This guy is a traitor to the white race,” the student said. |
| The video quickly gained momentum online and spread widely in recent days through social media platforms such as Tumblr and Twitter. | The video quickly gained momentum online and spread widely in recent days through social media platforms such as Tumblr and Twitter. |
| [Minority students in a Maryland school district make a video about their struggles] | |
| After the video caught attention of school officials, the student, who did not immediately respond to a request for comment, posted a message on social media and apologized. | After the video caught attention of school officials, the student, who did not immediately respond to a request for comment, posted a message on social media and apologized. |
| “I am learning from this mistake and hope to gain forgiveness from those who I hurt with my words,” he said. | “I am learning from this mistake and hope to gain forgiveness from those who I hurt with my words,” he said. |
| [Virginia high school students suspended for wearing Confederate flag apparel] | [Virginia high school students suspended for wearing Confederate flag apparel] |
| Foose wrote in her letter that the video has been “offending many people of all races, and reflecting poorly on students directly involved and those who chose to stand silent. This behavior is unnacceptable and will not be tolerated.” | Foose wrote in her letter that the video has been “offending many people of all races, and reflecting poorly on students directly involved and those who chose to stand silent. This behavior is unnacceptable and will not be tolerated.” |
| The video brought to light racial tensions that had crept in the shadows at Mt. Hebron. Students interviewed by The Post Thursday said that the school, which is majority white, has struggled with racist behavior by teens in the past. | The video brought to light racial tensions that had crept in the shadows at Mt. Hebron. Students interviewed by The Post Thursday said that the school, which is majority white, has struggled with racist behavior by teens in the past. |
| An area of the school where black students often congregate in between classes is referred to as “the jungle.” The students said it was not out of the ordinary to hear white students say racial epithets such as the the “N word” in the hallways. | An area of the school where black students often congregate in between classes is referred to as “the jungle.” The students said it was not out of the ordinary to hear white students say racial epithets such as the the “N word” in the hallways. |
| Foose said the school is investigating the incident, which was made during a party at a student’s home in recent days. | Foose said the school is investigating the incident, which was made during a party at a student’s home in recent days. |
| Howard County schools spokesman John White said that Foose viewed the video on Thursday afternoon. | Howard County schools spokesman John White said that Foose viewed the video on Thursday afternoon. |
| “It’s not the type of behavior she would expect from our students,” he said. | “It’s not the type of behavior she would expect from our students,” he said. |
| In a “call to action,” Foose encouraged students to delete the video and refrain from sharing it. | In a “call to action,” Foose encouraged students to delete the video and refrain from sharing it. |
| “This is more than an example of irresponsible use of social media,” Foose wrote. “It is hateful. No Howard County public school student should engage in this type of conduct, nor do they need to be exposed to it.” | “This is more than an example of irresponsible use of social media,” Foose wrote. “It is hateful. No Howard County public school student should engage in this type of conduct, nor do they need to be exposed to it.” |
| But Foose’s message appeared to come too late. The video, she said in her letter, had already been shared hundreds of times online. | But Foose’s message appeared to come too late. The video, she said in her letter, had already been shared hundreds of times online. |
| It is also not the first time that the school has been forced to address overt forms of racism. In 2009, vandals broke into the school and scrawled “KKK” and drew Nazi swastikas on the walls. | It is also not the first time that the school has been forced to address overt forms of racism. In 2009, vandals broke into the school and scrawled “KKK” and drew Nazi swastikas on the walls. |
| In a letter to Mt. Hebron parents, principal Andrew Cockley wrote that he planned to meet with the teenagers involved in the video. | In a letter to Mt. Hebron parents, principal Andrew Cockley wrote that he planned to meet with the teenagers involved in the video. |
| “This is an incident when students were engaging in hateful conversations,” Cockley wrote. | “This is an incident when students were engaging in hateful conversations,” Cockley wrote. |
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