Racist group chat exposed by student was ‘vile,’ Wake County school officials say
Students involved in a racist group chat exposed by a black student “have faced appropriate consequences,” Wake County school officials said in a letter to employees.
Cenayia Edwards, a 14-year-old freshman at East Wake High School, posed as a white student in order to join an online group chat that included two students at her school and five at Corinth Holders High School in Johnston County, The News & Observer reported earlier this month.
The group chat included racial slurs, talk about shooting black people and killing black babies and comments such as #BringSlaveryBack.
Wake County schools sent the letter to employees last week, and Superintendent Cathy Moore met with Edwards’ family Monday, according to district spokeswoman Lisa Luten.
The letter did not say what consequences the students faced.
Earlier this month, school officials condemned the chat but said “disciplinary actions” could not be discussed due to privacy laws.
The letter also called the group chat “racist, vile and thoughtless” and said East Wake High School is using the incident as an opportunity to “address racism with various programs and initiatives in the coming weeks.”
School officials said Edwards was courageous to expose the chat, and schools wouldn’t be able to have this conversation if not for her actions.
“Courage like hers is to be commended and nurtured, as courage is necessary to both confront what is wrong and to be part of building what is needed,” the letter said.
This story was originally published October 29, 2019 at 12:57 PM.
