Social media posts by at least one Plymouth-Canton district student include a racially biased video apparently created by the teen. The video shows a white student threatening to shoot and lynch black classmates and was posted to various social media sites in early March.
While the racist video was created and posted outside of school, the negative impact was felt by other students, staff members and families, explained Superintendent of Plymouth-Canton Community Schools Monica Merritt in a letter to families. Merritt said the racial and threatening content of the video disrupts learning in the schools and, “We do not condone or tolerate reprehensible acts of this nature.”
Merritt said an investigation determined that the video was the work of a student at one of the three high schools at the Plymouth-Canton Educational Park. She added that the Canton Township Department of Public Safety was notified regarding the content of the video and an investigation into the identity of the perpetrator is currently under way. Police said that any findings in an investigation would be submitted to the office of the Wayne County Prosecutor and a determination of charges, if any, would be the responsibility of that office.
In the letter posted to the district website, Merritt said acts of racism will not be ignored and that the district would continue to work to “eliminate harmful and destructive behaviors and beliefs.” Recently, the district implemented a racial equity policy and culturally responsive-based learning programs have also been added to the school curriculum and included in staff orientation and training, she said.
She added that educators cannot address matters that “are not brought to our attention” and urged parents to encourage students to share information with adults or use the newly-established hate and bias reporting form adopted in the district. Merritt said the form is a safe online reporting platform for students and families to document incidents of hate and bias at school or at school-related events.
“Understanding that education is part of the solution, we remain committed to our intentional work to ensure educational environments where students are physically, psychologically, and emotionally safe and represented at school,” Merritt said. “Hate has no place in P-CCS, and we must continue our collective work to eradicate acts of racism in our school environments.”
