BE student expelled for racial social media post

Following a post on social media of racial and threatening statements, Bishop England High School administrators expelled the student responsible.

 

Principal Patrick Finneran learned about the post on the evening of May 31. After consulting with the Bishop England leadership team and diocesan officials, the student’s parents were contacted and the student was expelled.

 

Additionally, police were notified about the post.

 

“The verbiage in this post was hostile and demeaning to the African American community, and offensive to all of us,” said Finneran. “We have no tolerance for any words or actions that are racist in nature, and we will continue to enforce this.”

 

In a June 1 letter to students’ parents, Finneran informed them of the decision and explained why the steps were taken to expel the student immediately.

 

“The tragic murder of George Floyd and the terrible effects of systemic racism have caused great pain, anger, and frustration in our nation, the city of Charleston, and, especially, in our African American community. We are outraged by the injustice,” Finneran wrote.

 

The letter went on to explain that there was no tolerance for racist or threatening words or actions, and that the school would continue to enforce this action.

 

Finneran stated in the letter he would be creating a diversity task force to work on ways “to stand in solidarity with all ethnicities, including African American community members, and work to find reconciliation and promote justice.”

 

In the days prior to the social media post, Bishop Robert E. Guglielmone with the Catholic Diocese of Charleston, had released a statement in the wake of George Floyd’s murder in Minneapolis and the violence that occurred in South Carolina over the weekend. In it, he said: “To our family in Christ, we cannot minimize the fact that

there is blatant racism and injustice in our country, and change must come. In order to make that change, however, we must unite in our efforts. There is no other way, but peace. Peace is an ethic for people of all faiths.”

 

The bishop addressed concerns that social media could be misused.

 

“In the days ahead, I urge all people to refrain from bickering in social media, and step away from petty arguments,” said Guglielmone in his statement. “We need to join in solidarity and seek reconciliation as we continue to heal from injustice in our society. Opinions and misinformation are not the answer to our problems. Prayer is.

Education is. Empathy is.”

 

The bishop also called upon young people to take the lead in effecting change through peaceful, reasonable and open communication.