A group of students was visiting the National Museum of African American History & Culture on a class trip when an unfortunate incident took place. According to the New York Post, a white student on the trip allegedly spit on a black visitor.
The incident was revealed on social media by Shelton Intermediate School superintendent Chris Clouet shared his brief comments on the matter.
“This kind of action is not a reflection of who our students are, or who we are as a community,” Clouet wrote on Facebook. “This is not the time or place to talk about consequences.”
100 students were reportedly kicked out of the museum after the incident, according to the Hartford Courant. The student who was involved in the spitting incident will also be facing internal discipline Clouet stated.
“Far too often unkind acts in our world are excused because it was ‘only a joke,’” Clouet added. “The individual who was spit on may not see it as a joke. I suspect it may have been more rude than racist. Not certain how the visitor to the museum on the receiving end of the act would perceive it. This is now, regrettably, a pattern of behavior that is disrespectful and does not serve anyone well — including the student who acted inappropriately and embarrassed himself and his school.”
The school’s principal also commented by disavowing the actions of the student.
“It was an act of stupidity, disinterest, & immaturity, completely inappropriate, but I believe not racially motivated against that person,” Principal Dina Marks said.
Following the incident at the museum, school officials decided to send the student home to Connecticut while the remaining classmates stayed in the nation’s capital for the remainder of their trip which included stops at the White House, Arlington National Cemetery, and the Holocaust Museum following their stop at the National Museum of African American History & Culture.