CALN >> Coatesville Area School District students dealt with incidents in the beginning of the school year and they found their voices to speak up against hatred.
Coatesville Area Senior High officials found a black baby doll hanging from the ceiling in the boys cross country team locker room in October, which was deemed not to be a hate crime. When school officials found the doll hanging with a neck tie around it, their initial concern was that the doll was intended to cause racial intimidation. However, during the investigation, the involved students said they did it as a “foolish prank.”
“Team members may have said they meant no harm, but we simply can’t accept that,” Coatesville schools Superintendent Cathy Taschner said. The team members were not allowed to finish the season and were required to participate in sensitivity training.
A second incident followed that same month.
A photo circulated on social media consisting of past and current Coatesville standing behind pumpkins carved with racist symbols and jack-o-lantern faces.
“We are extremely disappointed that any of our students would display this kind of hatred and vile behavior,” Taschner said. “It’s reprehensible and intolerable, and this photo causes deep sadness and concern.”
School officials believe that the photo was taken off school property and outside of school hours. Several students who saw the photograph on social media reported the matter to school officials.
“We are encouraged by the outpouring of communication from students who reported this, and the many outstanding students who, on a daily basis, continue to do the right thing and who continue to stand in unity,” Taschner said.
Hundreds of students stood in solidarity during an organized unity event. Student leaders informed their peers in advance that they could participate in a voluntary, peaceful unity event during the school day. Student leaders said the event gave students a voice as they talked about tolerance, acceptance and respect. They echoed Taschner’s message that they will not be defined by acts of hatred.
“The Coatesville Area School District is a caring school community that will not be defined by acts of hatred,” Taschner said. “We simply cannot accept this, and will do all we can to ensure that our community realizes that there is simply no place for hate in our school district.”
Elected officials agreed that hate has no place in Chester County. That message came when racist graffiti was found in August on a few streets, traffic signs and private property in Coatesville City and nearby Valley Township. Police said there were eight incidents in which they arrested George Rissell, 24, of Coatesville, for allegedly being responsible for spray painting the racist graffiti. According to his online criminal report, Rissell is in Chester County Prison awaiting court in January 2018.
Visit Daily Local News staff writer Ginger Rae Dunbar’s blog about journalism and volunteering as a firefighter at FirefighterGinger.blogspot.com.
