A Black Park Hill High School student, Colby Barker, was suspended after defending himself against a student who called him a racial slur. Barker felt an undertone of racism at the school, and the incident occurred when he confronted a student who had sexually harassed his female friends and called Barker a derogatory term. Despite feeling shocked and uneasy about returning to school, Barker was suspended for seven days while the student who used the racial slur faced no known consequences. The Park Hill School District has launched an investigation into the incident and stated that racist behavior is not tolerated.
This incident comes in the wake of previous racial issues within the Park Hill School District, including a petition at Park Hill South High School to bring back slavery and an educator using a racial slur. School leaders have had to confront racism within the district and bring in experts to address the issues. Barker is not the only student to have experienced racism at Park Hill High, and a protest and walkout are planned for Thursday on school grounds as a response to the recent incident.
As the investigation continues and more information is gathered, FOX4 will provide updates on the situation. This incident highlights the ongoing challenges of racial inequality and discrimination faced by students in the Park Hill School District and the need for meaningful change to address these issues.
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