The NAACP is calling for people to go to Simsbury's board of education meeting Tuesday night after a controversial photo surfaced on social media that appears to show two Simsbury High School students in blackface.
The incident is not on the regular meeting agenda, but an agenda for a special meeting tonight does mention that the board is expected to go into executive session to “discuss a student discipline matter.”
The greater Hartford branch of the NAACP issued a news release Monday afternoon calling for residents to attend the Board of Education meeting “to voice their collective concerns following an incident in which two Simsbury High School students appeared in ‘blackface’ on social media.”
“The Simsbury Board of Education needs to understand that this incident has repercussions beyond the town,” GHNAACP President Maxien Robinson-Lewin said in a statement. “The action – or inaction – of the district following the unconscionable actions of these students is unacceptable. We know there is strength in numbers, so we plan to show our strength at tomorrow’s meeting.”
Superintendent Matthew T. Curtis said he sent a message to parents last week about the meeting.
“First and foremost, I want to acknowledge the challenges of the last several weeks relative to the incident earlier this month where racially offensive images were posted by SHS students on social media. No one wants what has happened here to define us as a community. What will define us is what we do with the tough lessons we have learned and conversations we have had. As Superintendent, I have had an opportunity to meet, speak with, and learn from many individuals both inside and outside the community over the past two weeks and the feedback has been meaningful. While I have heard from many individuals who have had suggestions about how we can improve our efforts related to inclusion and diversity, I have also heard from others who wish to voice their opinions and provide feedback in a public way. As such, the board and I would like to invite members of our Simsbury community to our Board of Education meeting on Tuesday February 26th, at 7:00 pm to be held at the Simsbury High School Amphitheater. We will hear from any community members who wish to speak during the public audience session at the very beginning of the meeting. Our goal is to provide an opportunity for families to share their perspectives on school climate and to offer suggestions and advice for moving the school community forward productively,” Curtis wrote. “We look forward to seeing and hearing from you on February 26th.”
Robinson-Lewin said she wanted to see students held accountable for their actions She said the students received a one-day suspension.
"To me, that does not teach the students that their actions have consequences," she said. She also said she wants the school to revisit the disciplinary policy.
“I think that it's very important they are disciplined accordingly because their policy allows for them to be disciplined, even though the incident happened off school grounds,” Robinson-Lewin said.
Curtis said in an emailed statement that, under FERPA, school officials are “prohibited from discussing or disclosing any discipline information about our students.”
The public meeting will be held in the Simsbury High School auditorium. It starts at 7 p.m.