A racial slur and two references to the Ku Klux Klan were discovered scrawled on bathroom walls at Albany High School this week, prompting an investigation by both the school district and police. A student alerted staff to the messages late Wednesday, and the graffiti was removed that same evening.
The Albany City School District confirmed the timeline of events, as reported by WRGB, which first reported the discovery. Both the district and police are now investigating the incident, and those responsible could face school and legal punishment, according to the station's reporting.
District Plans Staff Training, Student Discussion
Albany High School has scheduled a staff development day for Friday, with a discussion planned for students on Monday to address the incident, per the station's report. Albany City Schools Superintendent Joseph Hochreiter weighed in on the broader context behind such incidents, saying the racist attitudes underlying the nation's foundation and development remain in too many people's consciousness.
The district has previously stated its position on this kind of conduct. In a message posted to its website, the City School District of Albany says it will not tolerate racist or intolerant behavior of any kind. The district, which the statement notes serves nearly 9,300 students and employs nearly 2,000 people, says its response to such incidents may include disciplinary steps or, more often, education.
State Guidance on Reporting Requirements
Under New York's Dignity for All Students Act, any written or oral complaint made to a school employee about discrimination, harassment, bullying or cyberbullying is considered significant and must be reported to the district's Dignity Act Coordinator for investigation, according to guidance from the New York State Education Department.
Wider Scrutiny of Capital Region Schools
The Albany High School discovery comes as nearby South Colonie schools continue to face questions over their response to a separate incident involving a racist video. A roughly 10-second clip showed white Colonie Central High School students repeatedly yelling a racial slur at a party, according to WAMC. Hundreds of students and community members turned out for a South Colonie Board of Education meeting over the matter, and the station reported that Superintendent David Perry said in a statement that investigations into the video were ongoing, while also saying students have the right to express their views peacefully and respectfully.
At that same meeting, students described enduring years of racism inside South Colonie's middle and high schools, according to timesunion.com. Students told the board that slurs had repeatedly surfaced in drawings, social media posts, athletic events and school hallways, and some speakers said the video was just the latest moment in decades of abuse. Several speakers at the meeting, including some calling for Superintendent Perry's resignation, said racism in the district dated back decades, according to a separate report from WNYT.
Albany High School itself has faced scrutiny over racist incidents before. In March 2017, racist Instagram posts targeted 11 Albany High School students and a Black girls' basketball coach, showing people with nooses around their necks alongside photos comparing the girls to apes, according to the East Bay Times. Three students allegedly posted to that account, while about a dozen others who liked or commented on it were suspended, the outlet reported.
