A Nebraska superintendent has addressed a racist homecoming invitation that referenced Black people picking cotton.
In a photo shared on social media, two white students appeared to hold a poster that reads: "If I was Black, I would be picking cotton. But I'm white so I'm picking you for HOCO?"
"Honestly, it makes me sick because it's very frustrating to me that students and or adults would do something like this," North Bend Central Superintendent Patrick Ningen said, per KETV. "I think a lot of upset people, students, parents, staff members, you know, this is something that shouldn't happen."
Ningen said only one of the students pictured attends a school in his district. He declined to identify which one.
The superintendent noted that officials have talked to the student and their parents.
"I can't discuss that at all, but just that we've made contact and that we have you know, we're following our student handbook and the Student Discipline Act to to the extent that we can," Ningen said.
Since the photo was taken off-campus, the district is limited in the actions it can take, according to Ningen.
"You have to take the First Amendment in consideration," he said.
Ningen said he's taking the matter seriously.
"It's important. I mean, this is something that that we can't accept. And we can't just kind of say we hope it goes away," the superintendent said.
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