School Draws Flak For Mock 'Slave Auction' Of Black Students To 'Slavemasters'

A school in North Carolina found itself apologizing publicly on Monday, March 14, after a parent’s complaint online about a "slave auction" caused a firestorm of racial blowback that condemned the learning institution.

Chatham School District Superintendent Anthony Jackson met up with parents on Monday after the J.S. Waters School was embroiled with a controversial student "slave auction" where the black students were reportedly sold to white students with the status of "slaveowner" during the incident, according to the Daily Beast.

“I want to offer an apology…to every single student who has ever felt unsafe while in our care, to every student who has ever felt demeaned, disrespected, or marginalized because of their race, ethnicity, sex, gender, religion or disability,” Jackson said.

Ashley Palmer, the parent who blew the whistle towards the disrespectful and racially insensitive actions done against the black students, said that there is video evidence of the student doing, among other things, a vocal harmony with a racial slur, another Daily Beast article reported.

“Parents teach your kids that this behavior isn’t O.K. Teach them also that SILENCE IS COMPLICITY! Laughter is even worse!” she said on a Facebook post.

As the media onslaught on the incident continues, many more parents and students are coming forward with their own stories of racism and culturally insensitive depictions that had happened in the J.S. Waters School.

“I never thought in a million years I’d be standing up here talking about my son experiencing racism in middle school,” Christy Wagner, a parent from the school, said.

“I am disappointed and disheartened by the events that happened at the J.S. Waters School,” Ashley Perez said. “As a student of the Chatham County school system, I am ashamed that this event happened [in] my home county. This event did not follow the motto ‘collectively creating success.’”

Jackson has promised a whole slew of different changes to ensure that the incident will not occur again, including stronger discipline and rules against students who participate in bigotry as well as sensitivity training to teachers in the area.