SACRAMENTO COUNTY, Calif. — Posts on several private high schools in the Sacramento region intended to show diversity and support for students received negative responses from both current and former students.
The schools — Christian Brothers, Jesuit, and St. Francis high schools — posted in response to the death of George Floyd,telling their students of color that they are with them during this time of civil unrest.
However, hundreds felt the posts contradicted their true experience as students.
"I even had teachers who would speak to me and sing 'Kumbaya' and other songs in class and point to me say, 'Enijah, that’s a negro spiritual, right," recalled Enijah Smith-Joe, a Christian Brothers High School alumna.
Bella Silva, a St. Francis High School alumna also felt the affects of racism at her all-girls school.
“Multiple girls in my class have made racist remarks,” Silva said. “Some of them over social media have told me to learn how to climb the wall after Donald Trump was elected.”
Jesuit High School alumnus Obinna Okoye said the recent post from his former Catholic school just did not sit right with him.
“I was just really angry about it and how people’s comments were censored,” Okoye said.
ABC10 reached out to Christian Brothers, Jesuit and St. Francis high schools and we received statements back.
Christian Brothers says they’re sorry their initial statement didn’t convey what they had intended. The school made headlines late last year after firing it's first African America principal, Chris Orr, who later sued the school for discrimination, racial harassment and wrongful termination.
The incoming president Crystal LeRoy, also African American, says she’s proud of current and former students and they will be inviting people to be involved in having an accountable and inclusive community.
Jesuit and St. Francis high schools both stated they see the comments and that they’re listening and are working on ways they can improve.
Although they say they’re listening, some are too scared to do so.
“I think a lot of students are scared with the backlash they can get from St. Francis,” Silva said. “They don’t want to be expelled or even suspended for telling their stories. That’s why a lot of girls made fake accounts that don’t say their name so they can get their story out there.”
Follow the conversation on Facebook with Ananda Rochita.
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