Harrisburg, PA – The Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission (PHRC) has been made aware of a nationwide trend impacting students here in Pennsylvania. On Thursday morning, the PHRC was informed that Black students in school districts across Pennsylvania received racist text messages stating they were “selected to pick cotton at the nearest plantation.” It was later brought to our attention through reports and social media that this was a message sent anonymously to students across the nation.
“The PHRC strongly condemns any type of hateful messages or acts of intimidation,” said PHRC Executive Director Chad Dion Lassiter, MSW. “Hate should never be tolerated. It is imperative that all Pennsylvania school administrators realize the harm these text messages may cause to the mental and physical health of students, and take appropriate action as needed. Parents and schools should contact law enforcement and report these incidents.”
“It is important for our schools to stress the inappropriate nature of these messages and for us as a community to denounce them,” said PHRC Director of Education & Outreach Desiree Chang. “For school administrators wanting to do more to ensure students are feeling safe, the PHRC provides free trainings for administration, staff and students. These trainings promote equal opportunity and help schools prevent or eliminate illegal discrimination.”
The PHRC provides training on a variety of social justice programs including bullying and harassment prevention; cross-cultural communication; bias and hate speech; cultural awareness and humility; diversity, equity, inclusion, & belonging (DEIB); intersectionality of discrimination and trauma; and unconscious bias. To request a training, fill out the form on our website.
About PHRC: The PHRC enforces state laws that prohibit illegal discrimination. Anyone in Pennsylvania who feels they have experienced discrimination has the right to file a complaint with the PHRC. To file a complaint, call 717-787-4410. Information and resources are also available on our website. Follow the PHRC on X, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube, and subscribe to our monthly newsletter.
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