SMSD issues statement following racist incident at SME
By Gabe Swartz
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SHAWNEE, Kansas (KCTV) — After a racist incident and fight at Shawnee Mission East, the Shawnee Mission School District shared a message with district families and staff Friday.
The statement came a day after protestors showed up at the Shawnee Mission School District’s Center for Academic Achievement on Thursday night.
“The racist language that can be heard on that video is awful, completely unacceptable, and something we will never tolerate here in the Shawnee Mission School District,” superintendent Dr. Michelle Hubbard.
Students and parents were there Thursday night to support Brey’Anna Brown, the victim of a racist attack at Shawnee Mission East High School in mid-November.
“He should have never put his hands on me,” said the 15-year-old Brey’anna Brown. “He should take a lesson from this and move on and do something different.”
In the message, Hubbard said she was “unable to share with you any information about disciplinary actions we may have taken.” That statement is consistent with SMSD’s communication with KCTV, citing federal law to claim they can’t share disciplinary actions against students.
“I can assure you that we have followed the procedures outlined in our student handbook, and we will continue to send the clear message that racism has no place in our schools.”
Hubbard said the district has made efforts to improve diversity and awareness through the hiring of a coordinator of diversity, equity and inclusion.
“With all of this work and more happening across the district, the distressing behavior we saw in the video reminds us that we still have more work to do,” Hubbard said.
You can read the full statement here.
A 15-year-old Shawnee Mission East student was charged with a felony for unlawfully, feloniously and knowingly causing great bodily harm to another person. It is an alleged level 4 felony.
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