A school superintendent in Alabama says his office is investigating an incident in a now-viral photo showing a white high school student holding a gross “Put the ‘Panic’ Back in Hispanic” sign next to a Donald Trump banner. The girl’s reasoning in her subsequent public “apology”? “I would like to inform you that, that wasn’t my intention and was not meat [sic] for it to be taken that way. We played the Spanish Fort Toros on Friday night, I was meaning ‘panic the Toros’ considering when I think Spanish I think Mexican or Hispanic.” Wow, okay:
Many parents, alumni, students and community members contacted us outraged and wanting answers.
“I think it was wrong and something should have been done about it. It’s making Baldwin County schools look bad,” says a 2014 Robertsdale graduate, who has chosen to stay anonymous. “A school should welcome anybody. Everybody deserves an education.”
“We are aware of a photo that appears to be taken at a Robertsdale High School football pep rally Friday Sept. 15 that is circulating on social media containing political banners and unacceptable language,” said a statement from Superintendent Eddie Tyler. “School administrators, as well as my office, are following up on the matter.”
But this is no isolated incident—not in any way. Since the start of Trump’s candidacy, educators have noted a surge in Trump-inspired hate and bullying—a “Trump effect”—directed at immigrant, Latino, and Muslim students. White students have chanted Trump’s name during games featuring athletes of color, and among young adults, a Transylvania University student recently tried to get his undocumented classmate deported.
When we have a vulgarian in the Oval Office who spends his time cyber-bullying when he’s not busy golfing at his private clubs, we shouldn’t be surprised. But we should be disappointed that our children are emulating his deplorable behavior.