A school district in Texas disciplined students who they believe were playing an online ‘slave trade game’ and pretended to be auctioning off classmates based on race.
A student from the Aledo Independent School District posted a screenshot of the game on Snapchat. It shows how students use a chat called “Slave Trade”, along with a racial barrier, to “exchange” students of color.
A student posted ‘$ 1 for Chris’ and’ it would be better if his hair was not so bad. ‘
The school district, which is southwest of Fort Worth, condemned the students’ play and behavior.
The district said in a statement Monday that it had discovered that students from the Daniel Ninth Grade Campus were engaged in racial harassment and cyberbullying more than two weeks ago “and launched an immediate and thorough investigation involving law enforcement.”
‘The Aledo ISD immediately held talks and talked to students and the relevant student group, as well as their parents, and made it clear that statements and behaviors that a student targets as a result of his or her race are not only prohibited, but also has a big impact on the victims, “the school district said.
Mercedes Mayer, the director of communications at the school district, said in an email: “Disciplinary action has been taken in accordance with our policy and code of conduct for students.”
Mayer did not specify how many students were punished or what disciplinary action was taken.
Elder Ella Bullock told NBC Dallas-Fort Worth, “I was honestly not shocked by the community we live in.”
The district, which says it enrolls 6,400 students, said in its statement that it wants students of color to feel loved and supported.
“There is no room for racism or hatred in the Aledo ISD,” he said.
