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Leadership at Coosa High School in Rome, Georgia has come under fire after officials suspended Black students for voicing their anger over a group of White students who waved Confederate flags at schools and faced no repercussions.
While several White students also angrily criticized the administration, only Black students were suspended.
In response, students organized a protest outside the school.
See a local news report about the incident below.
The conflict began following a farm-themed spirit day at Coosa in which four White students came to school with Confederate flags. Several Black students who spoke out were then suspended.
Coosa administrators became aware of the planning of the ensuing protest and issued an announcement the day before warning police would be present and any students "encouraging unrest" would be reprimanded. The protest went on anyway, with several parents attending to help facilitate and monitor the situation.
Speaking to CBS46 about their reasons for attending the protest, Coosa students painted a picture of a school seemingly infected by a heavy bias toward White students.
Student Deziya Fain said:
"I felt really disrespected how the school didn't do anything about it, and when we are not allowed to wear BLM stuff, and they are allowed to carry a racist flag around."
White student Lilyan Huckaby, motioning toward herself and other White and Hispanic students, said:
"All the African Americans that was up there, they suspended them. They didn't suspend me, they didn't suspend her either, and we both disrupted all the eighth grade classes."
Parents have spoken out too.
A Black parent said she has reported several incidents of her child being called racial slurs at Coosa over the years and the administration has done nothing about it.
The school did suspend several more students for two weeks for planning or attending the protest—a period that includes the school's Homecoming festivities.
And in a truly shocking twist, it was local law enforcement who notified parents of the children's suspensions. One parent even reported being pulled over in her car by a local deputy who informed her of her student's punishment.
On Twitter, people were outraged by the situation.
Not surprised. This is in Marjorie Taylor Greene's Congressional district.— Honorable Mention (@Honorable Mention) 1634067780
Imagining getting suspended for protesting a confederate battle flag that gained its iconic status for being the symbol of segregation/anti-civil rights in the 50\u2019s\u2026used by the Dixiecrats and the Klan. This was never even the Confeds gov flag. Racism made this flag popular. https://twitter.com/ajplus/status/1448702894455279624\u00a0\u2026pic.twitter.com/E93GfUFlzA— Antonio McDaniel(he/him/his) (@Antonio McDaniel(he/him/his)) 1634389262
Confederate flags should not be allowed in any school. The meaning is meant to be hurtful to other students. This incident illustrates why the history of racial injustice must be integrated into all school curriculums from K-12.https://twitter.com/ajplus/status/1448702894455279624\u00a0\u2026— Leigh (@Leigh) 1634260551
I am afraid this mess is generational. The kids are doing what their parents are teaching them. So sad— Stacia Valentine (@Stacia Valentine) 1634230121
It's Floyd County. In North GA. No one that lives in GA is surprised by this. But please know that lots of us are still fighting every day in these bassackwards stuck in the confederacy towns to change things. We are trying so hard. It's stripping generations of ignorance away.— Heather, Enthusiast of Shenanigans (@Heather, Enthusiast of Shenanigans) 1634238275
That's a lawsuit.— Final Khepry needs a minute. His knee... (@Final Khepry needs a minute. His knee...) 1634073281
#GoodTrouble is gonna have a #GoodLawSuit— Sandi (@Sandi) 1634069726
Seriously?! Every single Coosa High School\u00a0administrator needs to be fired over this. \n\n*White students hurl racist slurs and propaganda*\nCoosa High admins: "That's fine."\n\n*Students plan protest in response*\nCoosa High admin: "Just suspend the black ones."https://twitter.com/thehill/status/1448681027900264458\u00a0\u2026— Mandi Mateer \u267f\ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\ud83c\udf08 (@Mandi Mateer \u267f\ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\ud83c\udf08) 1634229240
Coosa High School wins Most Racist School of The Day!! Congratulations to both the Staff and students for making this abomination possible\u2026https://twitter.com/ReportsDaNews/status/1448691705453158400\u00a0\u2026— \ud83c\udf0a \ud83c\udf0a Idlechatter \ud83c\udf0a \ud83c\udf0a (@\ud83c\udf0a \ud83c\udf0a Idlechatter \ud83c\udf0a \ud83c\udf0a) 1634242010
Coosa's administration has not responded to media as of this writing.