Blythewood principal condemns tweet of student in blackface during Spirit Week
The principal of Blythewood High School has issued a statement addressing and condemning a tweet showing a student in blackface Wednesday.
In a letter he posted to Twitter, Matt Sherman wrote to students, parents and alumni that he was “disappointed and hurt” by the tweet, which showed a white student with their face and arms painted black, also wearing black clothing.
Sherman also explained that as part of the school’s Spirit Week ahead of its homecoming football game, students were asked to wear different colors for their class — gold for seniors, white for juniors, blue for sophomores and black for freshmen. The student who sent the tweet is a freshman.
The tweet tagged Blythewood’s student government account. Sherman said administrators “immediately recognized that the tweet was inappropriate and insensitive and took measures to have the post removed.”
“Like many of you, I am disappointed and hurt that something associated with our Spirit Week caused pain to members of our Blythewood family and to our community,” Sherman wrote.
Sherman also touted the school’s newly-formed Blythewood Racial Issues Committee as an example of the school’s commitment to racial sensitivity. The committee was established this summer by students and staff to address issues of racial injustice and insensitivity at the school.
“We have worked together to have constructive and productive dialogue to help us better understand one another and to help us learn how to make our school, our district and our community a better place for everyone. While this morning’s Twitter post is contrary to the work we are doing, we will Be The Change,” Sherman wrote.
In a statement, district superintendent Baron Davis also condemned the tweet.
“As a district, we acknowledge that the tweet was unacceptable, inappropriate and hurtful. It does not reflect the core values of the district or of Blythewood High School,” Davis said in the statement. “We are certainly sorry for any hurt or distress the tweet caused, and we will continue to be committed to providing a premier educational experience for our students, staff, parents and community.”
A district spokeswoman declined to say whether any disciplinary action would be taken against the student, citing federal education privacy laws.
This story was originally published September 30, 2020 at 5:25 PM.
