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A California high school faces backlash after one of its students made an offensive prom invitation that has since been posted to social media.
NBC Los Angeles obtained a photo of the prom invitation that mocked the 2020 murder of George Floyd. "If you went to prom [with me], it would take my breath away," the prom invitation –– which features a Black power fist and a photo of Floyd –– says. The involved student attends Aliso Niguel School in Orange County, the news outlet reported.
Parents Mike and Angela told NBC News Los Angeles it was their biracial daughter who showed them the photo of the offensive invitation.
"It had a Black Lives fist up and a photo of George Floyd and at that point, I was like, 'Are you serious? They're making this a joke?'" Mike told the news outlet. The parents took the photo to school administrators, members of the school board, and the district.
"The sign is disgusting, lacks cultural sensitivity, is deeply offensive, and does not reflect the values we strive for in our school district," the Capistrano Unified School District said in a statement. "We serve a diverse community and we value all of our students and families."
Mike and Angela say they don't want the involved student to be able to attend prom or be around their daughter, "plain and simple."
"They've already been robbed of two years of high school through COVID, and so the excitement they had –– literally the day before –– for prom versus the excitement they had last night, or the defeat they had last night, was heartbreaking," Angela said.
The parents said this isn't the first time their daughter has experienced racism on campus and they want some sort of consequence for this incident.
"We all make dumb decisions in high school and college, but at the same time he does need to be taught a lesson," Mike said.
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