Teen in hot water after racist prom proposal goes viral
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Image: Twitter/@MartyBoi91
A Florida teen has apologised after a photo of him holding a racist sign he used to ask a girl out to a dance went viral.
Noah Crowley’s prom proposal sign read: “If I was black, I’d be picking cotton, but I’m white so I’m picking u 4 prom.”
Come on Noah. We have to do better than this. This is why racism is still a thing, “let me see what I can get away with”. Smh. #noahcrowley #lowkeyracism pic.twitter.com/tXvnEtcey9
— Cherita Is Random (@cheritaisrandom) April 23, 2018
18-year-old's girlfriend took a photo of the sign for her Snapchat and added two ‘heart-eye’ emojis. Needless to say, people were outraged:
Why did she 😍😍 the photo, she's equally as bad for thinking this is cute and sweet. Ignorance
— Hoosier mama (@akearsing) April 24, 2018
This photo was taken in 2018. Not only did the teen in the photo think this was okay but the girl who posted it put a caption on it with “😍😍”. I only hope that every time a future employer googles this person’s name this is the first picture they find. #NoahCrowley From Florida pic.twitter.com/LQdEFE2y8Q
— Marty Solis (@MartyBoi91) April 24, 2018
Gosh, if only we had someone in a leadership position over our public education system who could jump on racism in #Sarasota schools. Someone who has the pulse of the system and the community, and the power to engage and lead.
— Darth Continent (@DarthContinent) April 24, 2018
Alas. 😐#NoahCrowley #racism @BetsyDeVosED https://t.co/APEh6pHsry
Crowley, a pupil at Riverview High School in Sarasota, has reportedly apologised for his actions, which are now being investigated by the school.
Sarasota County School District Communications Director Tracey Beeker told NBC News the teen “made an error in judgment” and he has apologised for the post. Crowley's parents have said he will not be attending the dance or graduation.
"Neither the school district nor Riverview High School condones or supports the message conveyed in the post," the school said in a statement.
Trevor Harvey, president of the Sarasota County Branch of the NAACP told ABC Action News 10 he will recommend to the school district that Crowley not return to any school in Sarasota. He is also calling for an investigation into the school administration.
This incident comes in the wake of the Starbucks controversy where two black men were arrested at a store in Philadelphia. The incident led Starbucks to announce that they would close more than 8,000 stores on May 29 for anti-bias training.
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