A Georgia NAACP chapter is supporting new measures being taken to address a viral incident from a high school volleyball in September.
Outrage had come swiftly from parents and players alike when volleyball game attendees showed up to a Georgia high school in blackface.
Photos of the incident were taken at a match between Whitewater Valley High and LaGrange High School Sept. 16. According to reports, the photo showed two young men and two young women with their exposed skin painted black and wearing Afro-style wigs. Each participant had a letter on their chest, spelling “RYLEE.”
This week, the Fayette County superintendent Jonathan Patterson and Whitewater principal released a joint statement to parents.
“Following an incident at a Whitewater High School athletic event in September that did not reflect the values of our school system, we reiterated our commitment to learning from that experience and taking steps to strengthen understanding and respect across our schools.”
Looking ahead, a Cross Functional Action Team (XFAT) will be established during the second semester. This group will review current practices and recommend further steps to reinforce our shared expectations for dignity and respect at all Fayette County schools and events.”
NAACP Fayette County President Kevin Pratt II worked with the superintendent on the plan, calling the incident a “cultural issue.”
“We’ve been asking to make changes to the code of conduct,” Pratt told WSB-TV. “The ones who didn’t go to the school, they’re banned from all Fayette County Board of Education events and they can’t even go to the graduation,” he added.
During a meeting with concerned community members in September, a man reportedly read a statement claiming to be on behalf of the people in the picture. He said it was a blackout-themed game and they were there to support a Whitewater player.
“There was no racial intent behind the actions. As soon as those involved came out, administration asked them to remove it from their faces and they did so willingly. They apologize to anyone that was offended,” he said.
After a week of intense backlash over the viral photo and the reaction to the school’s response, Fayette County Schools announced they would collaborate with the NAACP to implement cultural awareness training and conduct a review of policies to prevent future blackface incidents.
“We recognize the need to strengthen the cultural awareness of our employees and gate workers. Our goal is not only to address this individual incident, but also to encourage all to pause, reflect, and recognize how personal choices affect peers, teachers, schools, families, and this great community,” Patterson said.
Read More: Confederate Group Sues to Block Stone Mountain Slavery Exhibit
