BOISE, Idaho — Several Salmon High School students are facing disciplinary action after a photo of the students wearing shirts spelling out the n-word, circled around another student on the ground and giving her the middle finger circulated on Instagram. The student on the ground is also holding up her middle finger to the others behind her.
The post, made by a student early Tuesday morning, has since been deleted. The superintendent of the district, Dr. Troy Easterday, said as soon as the school became aware of the post, the administrative team was brought in. He told KTVB that students said the post was "not maliciously" made.
"As superintendent of the Salmon School District I am well aware of the current situation happening with a social media post by our Salmon School District students. At this time the administrative team of the Salmon School District is investigating this post and will keep the community aware within the legal confines of the law," Easterday said.
KTVB received several emails from parents in the district expressing anger, even if it was a joke, and some said this type of racially-charged behavior has occurred before.
Superintendent Easterday said he has not seen anything like it since he's been at the position.
“Nothing has ever been brought to my desk that there's ever been a situation like this, and that it hasn't been taken seriously. Not while I’ve been here," Easterday told KTVB. "Our team did not hesitate to act. We did all the right legal steps to make sure disciplinary action was taken.”
The district also notified law enforcement and board members.
"Salmon School District does not condone, nor has never condoned what was expressed on social media today. Disciplinary action has been taken," Easterday said in a video on the district's Facebook page.
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