Targeted youth at Central Catholic High in Modesto speaks out about racist video

The target of a death threat video posted on Snapchat by a schoolmate at Central Catholic High School spoke out Friday, saying he was frightened by being targeted and shocked by the delayed reaction of his school.

“The death threat made me afraid. I know that a noose around someone’s neck is nothing to joke about. I heard my name in the video. The death threat made me afraid because I was singled out. I felt threatened and angered,” said Noah Porter in a prepared statement.

Porter, who is black, was named in a video made by fellow students that showed a junior at the school, who is white, playing with a hangman’s noose around his neck, wagging his tongue and saying “You must die (expletive).” Laughter follows as the name is said. Then the video cuts to a handgun firing.

“The video was put on social media for everyone to see. I know what the noose represents and it’s not a positive or joking matter. I usually don’t get mad easily but this was serious and nothing like I had experienced before. To see no action taken was shocking to me,” he said.

Porter, who is 18 and a senior, agreed to the use of his name. The Modesto Bee has not released the name of the boy in the video, who is a minor.

The video spread over social media March 25, as the private Catholic school let out for Easter break. Porter’s mother said she contacted the school and showed the video to the athletic director April 4 as classes resumed.

But the following day, the boy in the video was still at the school and came to Porter’s classroom delivering papers to the teacher. The shock of seeing the boy walk into his room brought Porter and his mother, Tanya Porter, to contact Modesto police to report the threat, which is being investigated as a hate crime.

On Thursday, Central Catholic High President Jim Pecchenino said the students involved with the video had been suspended and were not present on campus. No arrests have been made in the case, police said.

Friday morning, the family and lawyer Jacq Wilson met with detectives as part of the ongoing investigation. Wilson co-founded Advocates for Justice, a community group that mentors African American students, and is working with the Porter family.

The Porters also met with Pecchenino and school officials Friday and said it was a productive meeting. Wilson said Advocates for Justice presented a 10-point plan to assist Central Catholic in preventing hate crimes and bullying, and found the school open to developing several of its suggestions.

The points cover training in cultural sensitivity, hate crimes and bullying; swift and compassionate response to reported problems; working with the community and holding activities to promote tolerance; and continuing a focus on self-control as a spiritual teaching.

Wilson said he was surprised to see that CCHS had no procedures in place for hate crimes, bullying or cyberbullying, only a harassment policy. Creating policies and procedures is among the 10 points, one that Wilson said was embraced in concept by school leaders.

“They acknowledged they must reach out to the community now, and that we must work together and move forward,” Wilson said.

School officials told him they found the video deeply offensive, he said. “They want the community to know that’s not what they represent.”

This story was originally published April 8, 2016 at 5:58 PM with the headline "Targeted youth at Central Catholic High in Modesto speaks out about racist video."