Texas Principal Apologizes After Saying Black Students Dressed For '90s Throwback Day' Look Like 'Criminals'

Anthony LiVechhi, the principal of Oak Ridge High School in Conroe, Texas, was forced to apologize after he was caught on video complaining about the way Black students were dressed for a "90s Throwback Day."

The incident took place on September 30, according to students who said they witnessed LiVechhi walking around the school complaining about the way the students were dressed.

The video of LiVechhi's remarks was published by a local NBC affiliate.

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In it, LiVechhi can be heard saying:

"It's embarrassing. It's frustrating."

"We have people posing for pictures looking like they're Dr. Dre from the '90s. I'm not sure that's the look we're going for.

"It doesn't make our school look good."

Students pushed back against LiVechhi's remarks.

According to Trinidad Robinson, a student who spoke to reporters:

"I run track. I have some records for the school, and when we were walking by, he said y'all look like criminals."

"I'm like, how is us dressing and expressing predominantly '90s and 2000s Black culture equated to being a criminal?"

Another student said LiVechhi's words were intended to "degrade the way we were dressing and degrade our school spirit."

Livecchi's statements also received a harsh rebuke online.

LiVechhi's remarks sparked student protests, with about 100 students staging a sit-in. A local civil rights activist and parents also met with him.

After that meeting, LiVechhi issued an apology to the student body, telling them:

"I love you all. That's not how you need to be treated. It won't happen again."

LiVechhi's decision to compare his students to Dr. Dre proved to be surprisingly timely.

It took place on the same day the rapper, who found fame as a member of the gangsta rap group N.W.A., was announced as one of many acts to perform at next year's Super Bowl halftime show.