Vandegrift HS student's racist promposal prompts investigation

AUSTIN, Texas (FOX 7 Austin) - A Vandegrift High School student's racist prom proposal has prompted an investigation by his school.

The proposal was sent via the popular social media app Snapchat and shows a student holding a sign that reads "If I was black I'd be picking cotton, but I'm white so I'm picking U 4 Prom."

Vandegrift High School principal Charlie Little issued a letter to families about the incident Monday. According to the letter, the preliminary investigation found that the student was intending the post to be a "humorous reenactment of a 2018 meme that garnered national attention."

There is absolutely nothing humorous about slavery, and its use in this context goes against the values and ethical principles we teach," Little wrote in the letter. "While inappropriate and disturbing, the student did not direct this unacceptable message at a particular individual with the intent to harass, bully or discriminate."

In 2018, 18-year-old Noah Crowley, a senior at Riverview High School in Sarasota, Fla., posted a photo of himself holding a sign with the same wording. According to a statement from his family, the school district and his family agrred to not allow Crowley to attend prom or graduation.

Little wrote in the letter that despite the intent, the school is working within their Student Code of Conduct to address what discipline would be appropriate.

"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 wrote.

Read Little's full letter below:

Good afternoon Vandegrift High School families,

We strive to make VHS a welcoming, inclusive environment for all. 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.

Students alerted us about a current VHS student posting a "slavery pun" on Snapchat as part of his prom proposal. We immediately began an investigation to determine the facts and impact of this incident.

We do not tolerate or permit discrimination or hate speech of any kind at Vandegrift. A preliminary investigation suggests the student intended the posting to be a humorous reenactment of a 2018 meme that garnered national attention. There is absolutely nothing humorous about slavery, and its use in this context goes against the values and ethical principles we teach.

While inappropriate and disturbing, the student did not direct this unacceptable message at a particular individual with the 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.

We are working within our Student Code of Conduct to apply appropriate discipline with the individual student. We ask that the privacy of this student be respected during this process. Please take this opportunity to discuss with your student(s) the importance of responsible digital citizenship and respect for others.

If your student has additional concerns or has experienced any discrimination resulting from this post, please refer them to our administrative team or their school counselor so we can provide the appropriate support.

I am extremely grateful for the individuals who were proactive and shared this concern with us so we could promptly investigate the issue and involve the appropriate authorities. Thank you for your continued support of Vandegrift High School.

Charlie Little

Principal