Asian students at Whitney High School receive hate messages over social media, school officials say

ROCKLIN, Calif. — Hate messages that Asian students received from an anonymous social media account are under investigation by Whitney High School, according to the Rocklin Unified School District.  

Students in the Asian Youth Leadership Association Club received the messages on March 19, according to school officials. Officials say they are both disturbed and saddened by the discrimination those in the Asian American and Pacific Islander community faces.  

School officials did not say what was said in the messages sent to students. 

The alleged hate messages come a week after shootings in Georgia killed eight people, including six Asian women.   

Preliminary data shows there has been an increase in anti-Asian hate crimes by about 149% amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Asian Americans have a higher risk of being attacked by strangers and are more likely to be targeted at school, according to a study. 

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