A student in Pittsburg, California, wore a Ku Klux Klan costume through four periods at his high school before being reprimanded.
Pittsburg High School principal, Todd Whitmire, sent out a statement to students, staff, parents, and community members on Thursday after many were left “upset” and “concerned” by a photo of a student wearing a KKK costume at school, KRON 4
reports.“The student has been assigned consequences for his actions and he will also participate in our restorative justice process to learn how his actions have impacted and harmed others,” the statement said. “He will also work with our restorative justice ambassadors, parents, and staff to begin repairing the harm he has caused.
“As a school community, we are very disappointed and concerned with the actions of this student,” the statement continued. “We are committed to addressing what has occurred and working with this student to help him recognize the harm his actions have caused and, just as importantly, the responsibility he has, along with our school, to help repair them.”
On Wednesday, the student came to school wearing the costume and posed for a photo circulated across social media. It was the same day the school was hosting a costume contest during lunch, and it was only after wearing the racist costume for four periods that the costume was confiscated.
“I was surprised, like how the principal or nonE of the security agents didn’t stop him or anything like that,” said Manuel Gutierrez who goes to Pittsburg High told ABC News 7.
School officials met with the student and his family on Thursday, where he admitted to wearing the costume as a “dare.” But many in the school are still offended the student had the gall to wear the racist costume to a public high school.
“Even if it was a ‘dare,’ that’s still disrespectful to like, you know our kind, and stuff, that’s still disrespectful,” said student Robert Williams.