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Manchester’s Trinity High School has become a topic of interest on social media after one of their student’s racist homecoming proposal went viral.
Since then, the educational institution has canceled several athletic events and promised that disciplinary action will be taken against the student. Several netizens have also taken to social media, expressing disappointment in the student’s idea for the proposal.
The image going viral on social media showcased a boy and a girl standing next to each other and grinning over a cardboard paper sign that read:
“If I was black I would be picking [cotton] but I’m white so I’m picking you for hoco?”
The poster also included a checkbox showing “yes” and “no.” Instead of writing the word cotton, the unidentified student glued actual pieces of cotton on the poster board.
Although the name of the student behind the poster remains unknown, WMUR9 TV reported that he is a part of Trinity High School’s football team. The same was also confirmed by Trinity High School football coach Rob Cathart. In a statement to WMUR, the coach expressed that the student’s actions does not represent his character in reality. Cathart said:
“I know his heart. This is not what he’s about. I think this is a tragic mistake, it’s one that the school needs to make sure that he takes responsibility for and makes sure he’s disciplined for. And I can’t speak to the school, that’s their decision and their policy and they’ll do what is appropriate, but I know in his heart that that’s not who he is.”
Netizens react to Trinity High School student’s homecoming proposal poster
Internet users were enraged to see the homecoming poster. Many were confused as to how the student did not find the poster prejudicial in nature. Others also slammed him for including a racist phrase for his homecoming proposal instead of something creative in nature. Netizens claimed that bringing race into the matter was unnecessary in this situation. A few tweets online read:
Trinity High School President releases statement following racist homecoming propsal poster going viral
President Nathan Stanton of Trinity High School released a letter to the school’s community that slammed the student’s actions. It read:
“Racial Mockery or acts of racism are at odds with those beliefs and are absolutely unacceptable.”
The school announced that they will be taking disciplinary action against the student. However, the nature of the same cannot be revealed due to privacy concerns. This comes after the school received threats of violence that led to the cancelation of events this weekend.
Staton also announced that “this or similar behavior is not tolerated or accepted.”
This is not the first time the aforementioned racist phrase has been used in a homecoming proposal. In 2018, a school student of Sarasota, Florida, held a sign that read:
“If I was black I’d be picking cotton, but I’m white so I’m picking U 4 prom?”
In April, a Northern Illinois High School student held a sign with the same phrase as well.
