California students are being investigated for a hate crime after proudly displaying a homophobic slur during a school orientation. On the morning of February 12th, Redwood High School was holding an orientation for incoming 8th graders on the same day seniors were having their class photo taken while wearing white shirts spelling out “Class of 2026 Always Legit.”
Later in the day when the students were watching a game in the gym, the seniors saw two 8th-grade boys holding hands, and some of the seniors decided to rearrange their shirts to spell out a homophobic slur for the whole school to see, going viral online. According to Action News, other Redwood High students note that most of the seniors involved had been leaders who ran clubs and other respectable roles within their school.
WMC sophomore Tora Olsen believes that the seniors should have just minded their own business and just let people be who they are. “It’s not affecting them, so I don’t know why they were hating on them and plus like anyone can do anything in this day and age, so who cares” Olsen shared.
Redwood High School Principal, Dr. Brandon Gridiron, posted on Facebook that he doesn’t approve of their actions. “[He and the school district] affirm that this behavior is unacceptable and does not reflect who we are or the values we uphold in our schools” Gridiron said on Facebook that night. There is now a Non-Discrimination / Harassment Statement on the school’s web page for students to file a complaint about discrimination as well as find “additional emotional support on campus” according to the school website for students regarding this situation.
Priyanka Madathial, a student at WMC, thinks that the situation is upsetting because of how it targeted the young boys and is inappropriate, especially in a school setting. “It’s one thing to do this, you know, just to be funny or whatever, but it’s another thing to actually, do something like this, and act like this against two actual people” Madathial said.
These senior students have now put themselves, their friends and their families in danger because according to the New York Post, people who were offended by their actions have now found the students and their parents on Instagram, attacking them on social media and finding where they work, where they live, and other personal information which is now being used to harass them online. The students have been suspended as the investigation is ongoing.
