ISSAQUAH, Wash. — The Issaquah School District is investigating a social media post that shows a photo of a male student standing next to a female student who is asking him to a school dance by holding a sign with the message, "If I was black I'd be picking cotton, but instead I pick you."
The students are enrolled in the Issaquah School District. The Issaquah High School dance happened this past weekend.
"I had to read it three times, like, am I really seeing this," said L. Michelle, Issaquah School District's Communications Director. "It was awful and appalling. I think the most immediate thing on our minds was just saying, this is not okay. We do not condone racist speech."
Once the post was shared, comments came flooding in from students, parents, and the community, including Seahawks player Doug Baldwin. In a tweet Baldwin stated:
"I am saddened that this idea was thought of and executed without intervention.
Racism is not just taught, it is encouraged through its tolerance.
Let's take this as a reminder not only to be more empathetic but to hold each other more accountable."
Representative Lillian Ortiz-Self, from Washington's 21st legislative district, called it sad.
"At worst it is malicious and mean and at best it is ignorant, and either way we need to change that," she said.
Rep. Ortiz-Self is one of the sponsors of House Bill 1314, calling for ethnic studies in public schools, grades 7 through 12. In the bill, it states students need to be "global citizens in a global society with an appreciation for the contributions of diverse cultures." Senate Bill 5023 is the companion bill.
"That's what we are hoping, is that ethnic studies will show all students not only about some forefathers but all forefathers. Everyone of us have a history about what brought us here," Rep. Ortiz-Self said.
Issaquah School District said it does have curriculum about diversity. But school leaders also want parents and students to know they are listening to them.
"We need to make sure that we are speaking to our families of color," Michelle said. "What is your student experiencing? Do we need more curriculum?"
The district wants this moment to be a teaching one.
"We just hope that we can all learn from it and grow from it," Michelle said.
The Issaquah School District Superintendent, Issaquah School District Board, and Issaquah High School Principal all issued statements on Monday.