WHAT?!
What nonsense. (!)
Just because one isn’t “mainstream “ — maybe is a little geeky, maybe is a bit quiet or a bit shy or a bit small-stature, or maybe just puts their studies #1, or maybe is just unusually featured or finds the loose morals of many kids to be not what they want to be a part of... LOTS of things can cause a kid to get pushed around without them being “creepy”.
Back when I was in HS we were on the tail end of a period of some real blacks and whites problems too, although MOST of the blacks and whites got along fine.
I got pushed around a bit too, by a couple turds, but I think people who knew me at all (like my best friend from HS who I just ran into a couple days ago, or anyone from our last reunion!) would say “creepy” is the last word that would apply to me.
My solution, BTW, was to befriend (often by helping a little with schoolwork) the center on the basketball team, the nose guard on the football team, the captain of the wrestling team, the biggest guy on the wrestling team... (Two black, two white.) I had no further problems.
Exceptions proving the rule perhaps?
Growing up in small towns, I really don’t recall any of what passes for ‘creepy’ these days.
A few were kinda hippie-ish, and there are always some that keep to themselves, but none truly weird/creepy.
Cliques, yes, but nothing truly bullying like what seems to be happening nowadays (or so we’re told).
We actually had a rifle club in my HS sans anyone getting shot,and lots of rifle racks in pickups.