Coalition Demands Apology After Black Students 'Sold' in 'Slave Auction'

Several community groups in Goldston, North Carolina, are asking for reparations from the Chatham County School District after parents were recently made aware of an alleged "slave auction" held by students at J.S. Waters School.

One parent, Ashley Palmer, posted on Facebook that her son, whom she called "a strong unapologetically black young man," told her that during the auction, one of his friends went for "$350 and another student was the 'Slavemaster' because he 'knew how to handle them.'"

On Monday, a coalition of community groups plans to hold a news conference in order to present the school board with a list of demands, asking that the students involved in the incident apologize to their discrimination targets and the school community. The coalition is also recommending that the school makes "racist remarks and behaviors a fireable offense for teachers and staff."

Others requested child trauma counselors be made available to support students, and that the school should work to revise its code of conduct to separate hate speech from the umbrella bullying policy, "with corresponding consequences that match the severity" of the abuse, the coalition wrote in a Sunday press release.

"We all agree that our students should not be subject to racial abuse and stereotyping by their classmates or the adults entrusted to teach and support them," the press release stated. "However, until Chatham County Schools implements these community-driven recommendations, our community will continue to see no dedicated commitment to dismantling the culture of racism in our schools. By adopting these recommendations, Chatham County Schools will send a clear message that no forms of racism are tolerated in our schools."

Palmer also said that the students who participated in the "slave auction" had only received a one-day suspension for the alleged incident.

An open letter from Chatham County Schools Superintendent Dr. Anthony Jackson was sent to the community last week following the incident, stating that the school would not tolerate incidents like this.

"I want to be crystal clear: Racist, homophobic or otherwise hateful behavior or speech has no place in the Chatham County School System. We are better than this as a school system and a community," he wrote. "I want to assure everyone that we are working with and will continue to work with families of students who are targeted in this way. Those who are acting outside of our expectations will be held accountable."

A spokesperson from the Chatham County Schools told Newsweek on Monday, "We had our monthly board meeting tonight. Dr. Jackson made recommendations for action, which the board approved," before directing Newsweek to the full list of recommendations.

Those recommendations included revisions to the student code of conduct and training, including staff training, "restorative circles and focus groups for students" and working with local community agencies.

Additionally, Jackson said he would "authorize staff to immediately employ a community engagement coordinator to assist us with supporting parents with accessing community-based support for students and providing support to them as they exercise agency and advocacy on behalf of their students."

"I ask our community to see these changes as a beginning and not a fix. None of this will work if we continue operating in silos. We are better together," Jackson wrote.

Update 3/15/2022 9:43 AM ET: This story has been updated with additional information.