A Georgia HS band is awaiting disciplinary action after spelling out a racial slur during a halftime time.
Atlanta Journal-Constitutional reports that members of the Brookwood High School band are facing disciplinary action after spelling out the word coon during a half-time performances and calling it a prank.
During the halftime show, band members took to the field, and members of the sousaphone section decided to play a senior prank. The large horn section has instrument covers that are used to spell out the school’s team and mascot known as the Broncos. But four students chose letters to spell out C-O-O-N and displayed the racial slur on the field for all to see.
Members of the crowd were outraged and what a few adolescent boys thought would be a cool prank has embarrassed many in the community. Pictures of the incident spread quickly across social media and sparked a response from the school’s principal William Ford, who wrote an open letter to the parents and community apologizing for the actions of the students.
“Not only was the appearance of this term during our halftime show hurtful and disrespectful to audience members, it also was disappointing, as it does not reflect the standards and beliefs of our school and community,” Ford’s letter read in part. “We are a very inclusive community, and we care about all of our students. We are concerned that this situation occurred and are committed to taking steps to ensure this does not happen again.”
Three seniors intentionally planned and executed the use of the sousaphone covers to spell out a completely unacceptable, racist term. The fourth student, a junior, who carried one of the letters spelling out the word, appears to have gone along with the plan at the last minute.
In our interviews, the students– two of whom are African American, one of whom is Asian, and one of whom is Hispanic — indicated that this was intended as a joke, one that they thought would be funny.
All six of these students will receive discipline consequences commensurate with their involvement in this incident.
The photo of the band originally appeared on Facebook. Details on what type of action is “commensurate” with their actions have no been revealed.