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The day after the election, racist text messages were sent to thousands of black people across the country. While federal authorities investigate the source of the disturbing messages, families and school districts in Southern California are reeling from the experience, as Southland residents were also affected.
Black Santa Monica students were among those targeted by the text. This is a national issue, but one parent is calling for local action.
Erica Leslie has been talking about racist text messages since the election for the past five days. I was so overwhelmed when I asked if I could read aloud the message my son received last Wednesday.
“As a parent, reading it out loud really resonates with me, because I never expected it to be such a hit,” Leslie said.
Leslie told NBC4 that her teenage sons were among at least a dozen black students she identified at Santa Monica High School who had received messages saying they had been “chosen to pick cotton” on a “plantation.” said.
She said she identified a local middle school through her network of parents, and Santa Monica College also received a message. Meanwhile, from California to Kentucky, Florida to Washington, D.C., young black people received similar messages the day after the election. Although the wording was slightly different, the message was essentially the same.
“It just gives me chills to know that this is targeting black kids…but now you’re on a national scale,” Leslie said. ”
Law enforcement agencies, including the FBI, are investigating the messages. Leslie is calling for increased safety for black children in Santa Monica schools.
“I would like to see more safety measures in place for the children,” she said.
Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District Superintendent Antonio Shelton released a statement Friday saying, “Targeting students with racist messages is unfathomable. Anyone found to be involved at the local level should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. They must be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. You will be subject to disciplinary action.”
The Santa Monica Police Department told NBC4 they were aware of the text messages, but Lt. Erika Aklufi said she was not aware of the report to SMPD.
Mr Akulfi encouraged anyone who received such messages to report them to the police.
Neither Santa Monia Police nor SMMUSD have indicated plans to increase security at schools in light of text messages.
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