"Just because we don't mean any harm doesn't mean we don't play into the hands of racist imagery and racism," Martinez said. Theresa Martinez, a sociologist at the University of Utah, who has been a target of racism herself for her stance on immigration issues, said she could see no humor in the act. "It wasn't right of our administration to just stand there and let it happen," said student Erin Foster. Hear what they had to say by watching the video clip above. "I think it's been overdone a lot more than it really was," said student Alex Milner.įriends and classmates of the student accused of being a racist talked with KSL about what they saw happen at the assembly. Some students seem to agree with the parents' assertion that the incident was overblown. Each year at the assembly, classes compete in games and dress wildly in their respective colors.ĭuring this year's assembly, the parents of the student accused of racial discrimination say their son was chanting "white power" with members of the junior class in opposition to the students cheering "black power." Several times during the assembly, the student ran down onto the floor with the pillowcase over his head. The assembly in which this incident happened is called the "Spirit Bowl," and it's an assembly where each class dresses in their school colors: red for sophomores, white for juniors and black for seniors. They say their son did have a white pillowcase on his head at several points during the spirit assembly - which they say was not appropriate - but that he never meant for it to be a reference to the KKK. It says the school district condemns all forms of racism, hatred and discrimination and it spells out concrete steps it plans to take.Įarlier in the day, the parents of the student who was accused of making racial gestures to other students say this incident has been blown out of proportion. Tuesday night, the Canyons School district sent out an open letter to the Alta community. "Those are both things that are very wrong, and that's funny?" "So you're a supporter of the KKK and of Hitler," Cosby said. Larz Cosby, a minority student at the school, came forward after the assembly, saying he felt targeted and was offended by the racial gesture and that the administration should have stepped in. The investigation started after a recent spirit assembly where a student wore a white pillowcase over his head, resembling Ku Klux Klan attire. SANDY - Amid heightened police presence, students at Alta High School in Sandy are reacting to news that two administrators have been put on leave pending an investigation into racial discrimination at the school. Reading or replaying the story in itsĪrchived form does not constitute a republication of the story. Only for your personal, non-commercial use.
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