Students at Homewood-Flossmoor High School in Illinois are facing widespread outrage from parents and students alike after they were pictured and recorded wearing blackface and making derogatory remarks.
The video, which has since gone viral on social media, shows the four unidentified teens passing through a drive-thru window at a fast food restaurant while making derogatory about African American girls.
The student population at Homewood-Flossmoor is approximately 70% African American.
At this time, because they are minors, none of the teenagers involved in the video have been identified.
Rich Hofeld, the Mayor of Homewood, and Paul Braun, the Mayor of Flossmoor, released a joint statement regarding the incident, calling the video “highly offensive.”
“In light of the highly offensive incident that unfolded over the weekend, the Village of Homewood and the Village of Flossmoor have come together to show solidarity in our condemnation of this type of behavior. No matter the age or the action of the person, hurtful and offensive behavior is neither accepted nor condoned,” the official statement begins.
“As Mayors, we know Homewood and Flossmoor take pride in our diversity and inclusion of all people, and the actions of these individuals do not reflect the values we have worked to establish. Our diversity is a fundamental value that should be fully embraced, respected, and at the forefront of our community,” the statement continues.
“Together, and along with other community partners, Homewood and Flossmoor will continue to reflect the true spirit and heart of our communities. We will be working collaboratively with our community partners to address this repugnant behavior, together,” the statement concludes.
While the school district said they will handle the issue, due to confidentiality laws, it is not clear how — or if — the students will be punished.
Furthermore, as a result of the racist video, students at Homewood-Flossmoor High School are planning a walk-out for Tuesday, April 30.
That is all the relevant information that is available at this time. This article will be updated with new and relevant information should it become available at any time. If there is anything that we missed, please feel free to send an email to editor@teamcoed.com and we will respond as soon as possible.
