Awareness Initiative Draws Support From Community, Schools After Racial Slur Online Post

GROSSE POINTE (WWJ) - There was a show of support in concert with an awareness initiative Wednesday for the students at Grosse Pointe South High School after a racially charged Instagram post earlier this week.

"What we are doing here today is offering our support for the staff and the students," says Interim President Greg Bowens of the Grosse Pointe and Harper Woods NAACP. "Those kids made a poor choice but they can get back across the line. They have apologized, they are forgiven as far as we're concerned and I will do everything I can to help them be able to put this behind them and live a very productive life. It's a mistake we shouldn't throw them away because of it."

WWJ's Sandra McNeill reports some students said they were upset with the Instagram post which showed several students with a racial slur written on their body.

Miracle Bailey says it was her friend who widely shared the snap and she received some threats.

"They were saying 'go Trump' whatever that means and that black people should be deported out of Grosse Pointe," she says.

The six students in the photo were suspended for five days according to Bowens.

"We are going to continue to work with the Michigan Department of Civil Rights and the Attorney General's Cyber Unit," says Bowen of the NAACP, "to educate people about the perils of posting stuff online."

Fifteen-year-old Sydney Shakoor says it was very disrespectful ... "I think it was uncalled for, it was unnecessary and couldn't they have, like, write something else on their body."

One student thought the suspicion should have been longer.

"Some people think the school won't be safe for them anymore," said Margo Baer,"because people will try to call them out still."