STOUGHTON – Racist text messages were sent to six Stoughton High School students as part of a nationwide trend that hit schools in eight states last week, officials announced in a news release.
School administrators in Stoughton were notified Thursday, Nov. 7, that six students, including students of color, anonymously received racist text messages that were also allegedly sent to students in Alabama, California, Mississippi, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Tennessee. .
The text messages, which varied slightly from state to state, informed recipients that they “had been selected to pick cotton at the nearest plantation,” said Jeffrey Pickette, spokesman for Stoughton Public Schools.
“We understand that receiving a message like this is deeply disturbing and can cause emotional distress and anxiety, especially for our students and staff of color,” Pickette wrote in an email sent to families and staff last week.
“In no uncertain terms, these types of messages are acceptable. Stoughton Public Schools stands against any form of racism, discrimination or hatred,” he wrote.
School officials said they referred the matter to Stoughton police, who continue to investigate the source of the racist messages.
Were the messages targeted?
Police say they are also investigating whether the text messages were directed at specific students.
“There is no place for racism in any form in our schools, our communities or our society, and we will remain steadfast in our efforts to eradicate it,” Police Chief Donna McNamara wrote in the Nov. 8 news release.
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What should you do if you have received a text message?
Any students who have received a similar text message are asked to contact the Stoughton Police Department at 781-344-2424.
Who sent the text messages?
It is unclear who is sending these text messages and how many have been sent.
The Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) is aware of the incident and is in contact with the Department of Justice and other federal agencies regarding the matter, it wrote in a statement on X.
This article originally appeared on The Enterprise: Stoughton High School students of color receive racist text messages
