RACISM: White Student Spit on Black Visitor at AA History Museum

Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of African American History and Culture Architectural Photrography

A group of middle school students was kicked out of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C. last week after a white student spit on a black museum visitor.

The student allegedly spit off a balcony and hit the other patron, who was on a lower level. The group of about 100 students from Shelton Intermediate School in Connecticut was removed due to the incident.

The superintendent of the school district wrote on Facebook, “This kind of action is not a reflection of who our students are, or who we are as a community.” He admonished the student but stopped short of calling the disgusting act racist. “This is not the time or place to talk about consequences. But this is now, regrettably, a pattern of behavior that is disrespectful and does not serve anyone well — including the student who acted inappropriately and embarrassed himself and his school.”

Dina Marks, a school principal who chaperoned the trip, called the incident “an act of stupidity, disinterest and immaturity, completely inappropriate.” She made a point to note that she did not believe the action was “racially motivated.” She’s since deleted her Twitter account. (The Hill)

Hot Takes:

  • The student was apparently “sent back home to Connecticut” before the end of the trip and will receive some unspecified disciplinary action from the school.
  • This is just low.
  • If you’re old enough to visit the museum on a school trip, you’re old enough to know why this is wrong.
  • The school administrators are kind of downplaying this whole thing.
  • They don’t want to be the next Covington Catholic.