A controversy has erupted at a Mississippi junior high school over allegations that a bus driver and a coach threatened students with punishment for saying Barack Obama's name.
The incidents became public when outraged parents called the studios of WAPT news in Pearl, Miss. Some said their children were threatened by a bus driver with being written up and taken to the principal's office, others that their children were told by a girls' basketball coach they would be suspended.
Reginald Simpson, a student at Pearl Junior High, explained that when students on the bus started saying, "Obama is our president," the bus driver told them she didn't want to hear his name. One kid said, "This is history woman," and according to Simpson, "She pulled over and kicked me and the kid off the bus." They were left waiting at the high school and later taken to their own school.
"They feel like they afraid to say who our president is, cause they afraid they going to be in trouble," Reginald's mother Canishia told WAPT. "We teach our kids not to be racist, and here it is going on. I just feel hurt by it."
The Simpson family is black. However, another mother whose son was on the bus and who also plans to confront school officials about the incident is white. "This is what the whole election was about," Venus Neagu told WAPT. "It was supporting someone. And now that they've done it and they're on the school bus, now they're getting consequences for it."
School officials reviewed video from the bus and promised that no students would be punished. The superintendent released a statement saying, "It appears that some persons, out of disappointment and disillusionment with the election may have been so frustrated that they said something inappropriate to students. We have taken appropriate steps with the bus driver and the coach."
(Okay the flag above is a bit over the top propagada-wise, but I was pissed.)
4 comments:
Not just the South. I'm here to testify there is plenty of racial prejudice still in Ohio. True, Obama carried my state, but Hillary would have carried it by a bigger margin, I think. The economy was the big deal here and green trumped black.
Much progress has been made in our country. More is still needed.
That goes for the overwhelming percentage of blacks that voted for prop 8 in California. Prejudice can come in all colors.
True we still have a seriously long way to go. Also yes the Black support for Queer Bashing makes me Crazy.
Btw it's always been there. Even Obama told Blacks that they 'have' to deal will the cancer of homophobia, and anti-semitism common amongst them
Yes "Common".
I see, and here it every day. It's our dirty semi-secret.
Sidney,
One thing is to read about such vile events another is to experience them. As this plays out on the BB, I am still trying to get over LD's racist diatribe directed at RPM at the last LSB. I honestly would be hard pressed to think that anyone at the meeting was an out right racist, other than the accuser(s). I feel so hurt and angered by what happened. I along with many have their problems with the AIDS deniers, Null & Co., but this form of outright race baiting tactics is so disrespectful of the common good of the station that is is nothing short of criminal. Please excuse this slight digression. But yes, prejudice does come in all colors.
Fanogrendel,
As for Prop 8., it has been pointed out by many that only 7% of the population of California is black and in no way vote in a block. Blame the blacks doesn't work. And of course this no excuse, but it is only something to consider as part of the larger mix with the Mormon church putting up CASH and missionaries to swing the vote, in clear violation of the separation clause of the Constitution. My point here is that racial behavior, if you want to opt into that concept, is not monolithic, but organized religion is a totally different matter. The CLDS has a long history of being openly racist, and notoriously sexist.
There is much buzz on about Hillary being chosen for Sec. of State. I hope not. The logical place for her is on the Supreme Court where we can expect decades of not only a secure ideology on choice but also the rule of law in our bedrooms.
Hi gang thanks for dropping by. Sorry I'm just to nuts, and emotional to be witty so I'll just thank you for being there.
Peace.
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