HOUSTON—It’s not just the weather bringing people down at Fort Bend Baptist Academy. It’s the talk. Not over high school heartbreaks and who’s dating who, but instead who is writing what on Facebook.
“I was upset, but you have to be forgiving,” said one Fort Bend Baptist Academy student.
“Honestly, I thought it was shocking because some of those kids are people we know and it was hurtful to our people,” said Jesse Uduma another Fort Bend Baptist Academy student. “Even if it was a joke, it was not something to joke about.”
The school superintendent says nine students posted racially inflammatory comments on Facebook. He said he believes most of the pages have been taken down, but some said the damage has already been done.
“What we’ve heard from our African American students is that there’s a sense of betrayal that comments can be made by people they deemed as their friends,” said Norm Slosted, Fort Bend Baptist Academy’s Superintendent.
Slosted also said it saddened him to see the comments also created a visible divide in the school lunch room. African American students started sitting together to support each other. Usually, he said the lunchroom was very integrated.
The damage played out on more Facebook comments and a school parent sent some of the postings.
“Do you seriously have NO LIFE to make fun of a race? Y’all need lives. And oh, be expecting a call from the principal or something,” said one student.
The principal did call. Apologies were made to African American students. Punishments were given to the Facebook posters. Superintendent Slosted said the punishments ranged from reprimands to suspensions depending on how involved the students were with the comments made on the Facebook pages. Kids on sports teams or school groups will not be allowed to participate during their suspension.
“It wasn’t really meant to harm anyone,” said Tyler Baschal, another Fort Bend Baptist Academy student. “These kids are all great and there’s no real prejudice at the school.”
Now the job is to wash away the hurt and disappointment.
“We’re restoring our relationships,” said Uduma.
And it starts, students said, with taking those all important steps of forgiveness.
