Ponchos, hangman’s noose at private Modesto school indicate culture that needs change

Examining the process that allowed offensive social media with racist undertones at a private Modesto school is a natural first reaction, but misses the larger picture.

Yes, adults at Central Catholic High School should have questioned Halloween costume photos depicting the arrest of a student in a Mexican poncho. Reinforcing harmful, race-based stereotypes is insensitive and wrong.

Which adults overseeing these posts thought this was a good idea? Did they really think it was harmless fun? Pass it off as kids just being kids? Miss its offensive nature? Even realize that the photo apparently was shot on campus?

Because everything in public schools is heavily bureaucratic, one wants to think this could never happen at Downey or Davis or any of Modesto’s seven public high schools where controls on official school accounts may be more effective. While we await reaction from the church diocese overseeing Central Catholic, its administrators — as well as those with other private schools — would do well to review the checks and double checks imposed on school communication with families and the outside world.

But again, that’s just process.

Examining the larger picture means exploring why students would ever feel comfortable denigrating any ethnicity. That demands introspection.

Was this an isolated incident? Or does this speak to a larger problem?

At least one former Central Catholic student thinks it’s the latter, in comments to Modesto Bee reporter Andrea Briseño. The 2009 graduate described a culture of casual racism where discriminatory language is frequent and tolerated.

Because newspapers provide context, Briseño included this paragraph in Monday’s story:

In a 2016 video posted on Snapchat, a white student from CCHS is seen playing with a hangman’s noose around his neck, saying “You must die (expletive).” Laughter follows as he says the name of another CCHS student, who is Black, and the video cuts to a hand gun firing.

Central Catholic deservedly has strong supporters. They should come forward, too, to share how the school has inspired them.

Sensitivity training a must for Modesto school

Meanwhile, administrators did the right thing by taking down the recent posts. But why was there no apology or acknowledgment of error until The Bee came asking about it?

Does Central Catholic regret the harm done by its disturbing social media? Or does the school only regret getting caught?

Principal Bruce Sawyer’s apology in the article is appropriate. So is his promise to audit the account to learn how the incident happened, and to implement new social media guidelines consistent with school values — all process improvements.

More important is following through on sensitivity training, including workshops where students share and learn from experts and each other, and keeping the discussion alive with consistent and sustained effort.

Culture change is hard, but rewarding. Students deserve to learn in an environment where even casual discrimination is never tolerated, and where kindness and inclusivity are the expectation and the norm.

This story was originally published November 10, 2021 at 10:00 AM.