Christ Church investigates racist photo of students

A photo of black students with nooses drawn around their necks has prompted an investigation by administrators at Christ Church Episcopal School.

The photo was created on Snapchat, a social media messaging app, and came to the attention of school administrators on Monday afternoon, said Leonard Kupersmith, Christ Church headmaster. It had been shared through text messages, he said.

It shows four high school males sitting next to each other in a classroom. The modified photo has nooses drawn around their necks. A swastika appears in the corner of the photo.

In an email to parents Tuesday, Kupersmith called it a "repugnant act" and said the photo had been "modified in a vile manner."

"We are appalled by this photograph," he wrote. "It is contradictory to who Christ Church Episcopal School is and what we stand for. CCES respects racial, religious, and ethnic diversity. We are a close-knit, faith-based, and caring community."

Administrators spent the day Tuesday interviewing students, Kupersmith told The Greenville News.

Kupersmith said they believe they've identified a student who created the photo and shared it, but haven't yet completed their investigation or determined a punishment.

The investigation has found it was "a foolish and ill-considered adolescent mistake," he said. The student's lack of cultural literacy led to an under-estimation of the impact the powerful imagery would have, he said.

A parent of one of the students in the photo said she was shocked and angered by the photo in a school where inclusion and diversity are valued.

Parents of the school's black community asked to meet with administrators Wednesday morning, he said.

Students at the school expressed a "general concern about behavior that could tarnish the image of the school," he said. "The students take great pride in their school here."

"When our investigation is completed, we will move swiftly and decisively," his email to parents said.

Staff writer Amy Clarke Burns contributed.

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