Posted on 11/08/2005 12:58:38 PM PST by day10
A dozen Tri-state high school students made quite a scene at the school halloween dance when they put on Ku Klux Klan outfits.
Students and administrators in Rising Sun, Indiana, say they're upset it happened and shocked the students would do it.
The principal made the students take off the outfits right away, but the damage was done.
9News learned the students were told they have to go through sensitivity training or risk suspension.
People in the community are also being asked to reach out to each other.
"I think you're surprised if one person shows up [in KKK garb], but sometimes good people, whether they're adults or kids, do things that aren't the best and make bad decisions and that's what we had. We had about 12 individuals make a very bad decision," said Superintendent Steve Patz.
The superintendent says neither he, nor any administrators, heard rumblings this might happen.
The students, all boys, came to the dance wearing sheets, dressed as ghosts and pulled out hoods a little later.
Students didn't want to talk on camera, but said they were surprised -- even offended.
The students involved will do civil rights research and write papers and the staff will work to improve the way the school teaches issues of tolerance and sensitivity.
The superintendent knows that everyone knows what happened in the small town and everyone knows who's involved. That's why he wants the community to help with the solution.
"I think it gets back to the education we need to do not only as a school but as a community about why these things are unacceptable," said Patz.
Church leaders are being asked to use their influence.
"As a pastor, I care about all the people in this community, regardless of race, and we want to be able to reach out to bring some understanding of what happened and probably some education needs to take place," said Dan Hunt of Bethel Unity Baptist Church.
There was one African-American girl at the dance, 9News learned.
Although the superintendent says he's under the impression the act wasn't done maliciously, it doesn't matter.
He says this kind of action regarding race, religion, cultures -- just can't happen.
But since they didn't dress up like gangbangers, and they DID dress up like KKK members??
I'm unsure of your point.
I can tell you if any youngsters came to my front door dressed like that, they would have gotten an earful from me- and no candy.
Respect my authoritah
I wouldn't go that far. These days, you can make book on threads like these having the subject totally switched.
Put a pair of crap filled depends underneath the sheets and they could be the Sheets Byrd.
What they should have done is put a name tag on the back of the robe that says, "BYRD (D) WV". They could have then claimed they were exercising their First Amendment right to engage is political speech, and then sue the school for violating their civil rights.
THAT hurts! :)
Are they sure the kids weren't dressed as capser the ghost? The costumes are nearly identical.:)
Would your solution be to overlook the Klan costumes or condemn both the Klan and gangbanger costumes?
It's just cowardly and wrong.
Or if your name is Sheriff Bart and you get the costumes by asking true klansmen the question, "Where the white women at?"
While that may be a literal reading of the facts- wouldn't you agree that everything the KKK stands for, (and therefore what "dressing up" for fun, as a member of the KKK,) is completely despicable?
Do you expect these young people went out without their parents seeing them?
The Ku Klux Klan in Indiana | 1920 - 1930
I totally agree with you.
Why do other teenagers have to 'tiptoe' around one black girl's feelings. Does she show the same regard when 'hangin with her peeps in whatever local Rap joint'? I don't hardly think so. She should grow some skin (thicker) and move on. The world sucks for those that let it. There's a reason for the old saying, "Life Sucks and THEN you die."
Black, white, yellow, brown, fuscia, whatever....their 'sensibilities' are what they make of them, and NO ONE should have to cowtow to them.......
And why is that even important? It's a "The Sopranos" font.
It's a solid question. I don't personally like the idea of anyone wearing KKK sheets or condoning anything about the Klan, but...
The ubiquitous "but." Need I say more?
Also, what has that to do with the subject of this thread? The number of threads that have had their subjects changed to something like this is myriad. I could care less that these kids wore these costumes. So what! The problem I have is keeping the focus on underclass American blacks even when the topic has nothing to do with them, then having that focus sweep all of us up no matter how law-abiding and professional we may be.
I guess some folx just have to get their digs in no matter what.
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