'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/2wBDAAYEBQYFBAYGBQYHBwYIChAKCgkJChQODwwQFxQYGBcUFhYaHSUfGhsjHBYWICwgIyYnKSopGR8tMC0oMCUoKSj/2wBDAQcHBwoIChMKChMoGhYaKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCj/wgARCAAGAAoDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFgABAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQF/8QAFAEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABP/aAAwDAQACEAMQAAAAuyQaf//EAB8QAAICAgIDAQAAAAAAAAAAAAIDAQQFEQAiBjFRYf/aAAgBAQABPwC/jWF4wdSmbwyAqkBsvuEyFxrsUdYLfzZcq4yyusoDUkyEIiTm2zZfvrn/xAAYEQACAwAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABAwACMf/aAAgBAgEBPwBrLHTP/8QAGBEAAgMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQIAAyH/2gAIAQMBAT8ApVQcE//Z'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Shawnee Mission East High School in Prairie Village, Kansas, is facing heat after it suspended an African American student who was reportedly called a racial slur. The incident took place on Wednesday, November 15, 2023, when the said student, Bre, confronted her peer for allegedly calling black people "slaves."
Trigger Warning: This article contains references to a racial slur. Reader discretion is advised.
According to the Kansas City Defender, video footage shows Bre confronting a white girl in the hallway for using "racial slurs" and calling black students "slaves." Their exchange was broken up by a male student who was accompanying the girl when he yelled at Bre to "Shut the f*ck up!"
Bre, visibly appalled at the remark immediately responds by asking him what he said. In retaliation, he called her the N-word and pushed her, leading to a physical altercation that left her hospitalized with a broken nose.
Following the incident, the Shawnee Mission East school decided to suspend both students, leaving other African-American students enraged and worried for their safety. Jaxton, a black student, expressed his frustrations to the Kansas City Defender:
"The administrators won’t voice that this is wrong. Racist students never get in serious trouble. We’re tired of trying to confide in people and administrators who aren’t doing anything for us and won’t help us."
Needless to say, internet users were left fuming at the development.
"Such degeneracy": Netizens slam Shawnee Mission East High School for its handling of the incident
As news of the Shawnee Mission school suspending Bre spread, internet users were quick to express their shock and anger at her punishment. They called the incident a hate crime and many even claimed that they were worried about the state of public schooling in the United States. Here are some comments seen under @CollinRugg's post on X about the incident:
Following the outrage, the Shawnee Mission School District released a statement claiming "inaccurate information has spread in our community" and social media about the incident.
It explained that while they are aware of the occurrence and are prioritizing the safety of their students, children "make big and small mistakes every day" and they would continue to educate them to treat each other with dignity and respect.
On Monday, students walked out of the school to rally in support of Bre, criticizing the administrators and their inaction against racial attacks.
On Wednesday, November 29, The Johnson County District Attorney’s Office told KCTV5 that police charted the 15-year-old male student from Shawnee Mission East High School with aggravated battery, a level 4 felony. He is scheduled for a court hearing on December 6.
