NEW YORK—City officials joined members of the Freedom Party, parents, educators, and community members outside of the Stuyvesant High School (SHS) on Wednesday to address the issue of racism in the aftermath of a recent incident in which a black female student had received a racist video clip from her SHS schoolmates.
The amateur rap video with racist and derogatory lyrics was composed by a group of white male students and addressed to Brenna Celestin, an African-American student at their school. The video, which featured the four white students rapping in a bedroom, was “sent to my daughter’s inbox on Facebook,” said Veronica Celestin, Brenna’s mother.
One of Brenna Celestin’s friends, Alexis Marie Wint, a former student and the target of racism while at SHS, posted the video to YouTube. Wint said in a press statement that her intent in publicizing the video was to raise awareness of the issues of racism, discrimination, bullying, and harassment at SHS.
SHS is one of the most prestigious public schools in the city, with a student population comprising 72 percent Asian, 24 percent Caucasian, 3 percent Hispanic, and 1 percent African-American teens.
“Stuyvesant has 25 black students in the entire student body of 2,500,” stated Roger Wareham, attorney and Manhattan coordinator for the Freedom Party.
Councilwoman Letitia James attended the press event. She stated that she did not “expect this depiction of African Americans and its reference to African Americans by the overuse of the ’N’ word from individuals who go to one of the most prestigious high schools.”
The school administration has to go a step further than saying “take down the video from YouTube,” stated James. “You have to identify these individuals. They need to get help. They all appear to be on drugs.”
“They need to be educated about tolerance, about racial sensitivity, about the history of the ‘N’ word. It is important that we teach tolerance, and also it is important that we teach the history of people of African ancestry throughout the system within the Department of Education,” she added.
James urged the school administration and the Department of Education (DOE) to take three necessary steps to address the issue. The first two steps would require the four students to receive drug counseling and racial sensitivity training. The third action, according to James, should urge all prestigious high schools with predominantly Asian and Caucasian student populations to increase enrollment of people of color.
“When you engage in this exclusive type of atmosphere, then hate resonates. When you fail to teach others about the respect and the dignity of others, this is what you get—an environment of hate, where individuals refer to others in derogatory fashion,” said James.
Councilman Charles Barron expressed his support and concern for Brenna Celestin and her family. He also discussed the painful consequences of being exposed to this kind of racial discrimination.
“This is a form of cyber harassment. This is cyber terrorism and cyber bullying. … This video is beyond just using the ‘N’ word. It has led to emotional disorders. It has led to people being severely emotionally harmed,” Barron said. Severe consequences for the offenders should be implemented to convey the message that this kind of behavior will not be tolerated, he added.
Barron stated that silence equals consent when city officials are not speaking up. “Mayor, we need to hear from you. Cathleen Black [schools chancellor], we need to hear from you. Gov. Cuomo, this happens in your state,” asserted the councilman.
Over the years, black student enrollment in the city’s elite public schools has dropped dramatically, reported state Sen. Bill Perkins in a press statement. Perkins insisted “that every fact about this racist and cyber bullying video be investigated to the fullest and that all involved received the maximum penalties.”
“The attitude reflected in the video is more reminiscent of 1911 than 2011, … although the techniques of bullying are getting more sophisticated,” said Wareham, calling for the need to remove the school principal, expel the four students, and investigate the issue of criminal charges against these young men.
Veronica Celestin stated that Wint had called SHS school principal, Stanley Teitel, to ask what he was going to do about this video.
According to Celestin, Wint asked the principal to “discipline the boys and implement racial education programs for these kids,” but the principal’s response was, “I cannot promise you anything.”
“This is when she [Wint] said, ‘I am going to go to the media.’ She posted it [the video] on YouTube, and she went to Channel 5 News. This is how it got out,” Celestin explained.
Ruth Sowell, whose 18-year old son, Michael Bucaoto, is an SHS student, commented on the prevailing racial tension in the school. Sowell said that her son, who is biracial, “confessed to me when the video came out that he almost went as far as quitting from SHS.”
“He begged me, ‘Mom, please, please, do something about it; please help us to bring this out.’ That’s why I am here,” Sowell said.
In a statement issued by the DOE, spokeswoman Margie Feinberg affirmed that the video has racially insensitive contents that are hurtful and inappropriate. She stated that the DOE is currently investigating the incident and will take appropriate disciplinary action.
Feinberg also stated that the school administration will work with the Anti-Defamation League to conduct a peer-training program to ensure that a respectful school environment is maintained at SHS.
The amateur rap video with racist and derogatory lyrics was composed by a group of white male students and addressed to Brenna Celestin, an African-American student at their school. The video, which featured the four white students rapping in a bedroom, was “sent to my daughter’s inbox on Facebook,” said Veronica Celestin, Brenna’s mother.
One of Brenna Celestin’s friends, Alexis Marie Wint, a former student and the target of racism while at SHS, posted the video to YouTube. Wint said in a press statement that her intent in publicizing the video was to raise awareness of the issues of racism, discrimination, bullying, and harassment at SHS.
SHS is one of the most prestigious public schools in the city, with a student population comprising 72 percent Asian, 24 percent Caucasian, 3 percent Hispanic, and 1 percent African-American teens.
“Stuyvesant has 25 black students in the entire student body of 2,500,” stated Roger Wareham, attorney and Manhattan coordinator for the Freedom Party.
Councilwoman Letitia James attended the press event. She stated that she did not “expect this depiction of African Americans and its reference to African Americans by the overuse of the ’N’ word from individuals who go to one of the most prestigious high schools.”
The school administration has to go a step further than saying “take down the video from YouTube,” stated James. “You have to identify these individuals. They need to get help. They all appear to be on drugs.”
“They need to be educated about tolerance, about racial sensitivity, about the history of the ‘N’ word. It is important that we teach tolerance, and also it is important that we teach the history of people of African ancestry throughout the system within the Department of Education,” she added.
James urged the school administration and the Department of Education (DOE) to take three necessary steps to address the issue. The first two steps would require the four students to receive drug counseling and racial sensitivity training. The third action, according to James, should urge all prestigious high schools with predominantly Asian and Caucasian student populations to increase enrollment of people of color.
“When you engage in this exclusive type of atmosphere, then hate resonates. When you fail to teach others about the respect and the dignity of others, this is what you get—an environment of hate, where individuals refer to others in derogatory fashion,” said James.
Councilman Charles Barron expressed his support and concern for Brenna Celestin and her family. He also discussed the painful consequences of being exposed to this kind of racial discrimination.
“This is a form of cyber harassment. This is cyber terrorism and cyber bullying. … This video is beyond just using the ‘N’ word. It has led to emotional disorders. It has led to people being severely emotionally harmed,” Barron said. Severe consequences for the offenders should be implemented to convey the message that this kind of behavior will not be tolerated, he added.
Barron stated that silence equals consent when city officials are not speaking up. “Mayor, we need to hear from you. Cathleen Black [schools chancellor], we need to hear from you. Gov. Cuomo, this happens in your state,” asserted the councilman.
Over the years, black student enrollment in the city’s elite public schools has dropped dramatically, reported state Sen. Bill Perkins in a press statement. Perkins insisted “that every fact about this racist and cyber bullying video be investigated to the fullest and that all involved received the maximum penalties.”
“The attitude reflected in the video is more reminiscent of 1911 than 2011, … although the techniques of bullying are getting more sophisticated,” said Wareham, calling for the need to remove the school principal, expel the four students, and investigate the issue of criminal charges against these young men.
Veronica Celestin stated that Wint had called SHS school principal, Stanley Teitel, to ask what he was going to do about this video.
According to Celestin, Wint asked the principal to “discipline the boys and implement racial education programs for these kids,” but the principal’s response was, “I cannot promise you anything.”
“This is when she [Wint] said, ‘I am going to go to the media.’ She posted it [the video] on YouTube, and she went to Channel 5 News. This is how it got out,” Celestin explained.
Ruth Sowell, whose 18-year old son, Michael Bucaoto, is an SHS student, commented on the prevailing racial tension in the school. Sowell said that her son, who is biracial, “confessed to me when the video came out that he almost went as far as quitting from SHS.”
“He begged me, ‘Mom, please, please, do something about it; please help us to bring this out.’ That’s why I am here,” Sowell said.
In a statement issued by the DOE, spokeswoman Margie Feinberg affirmed that the video has racially insensitive contents that are hurtful and inappropriate. She stated that the DOE is currently investigating the incident and will take appropriate disciplinary action.
Feinberg also stated that the school administration will work with the Anti-Defamation League to conduct a peer-training program to ensure that a respectful school environment is maintained at SHS.
