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Las Vegas NAACP responds to Arbor View threats

Posted at 12:24 PM, Mar 22, 2019
and last updated 2019-03-22 15:24:22-04

LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — The Las Vegas branch of the NAACP is responding to recent threats at Arbor View High School targeting African American students.

On March 19, an Instagram account surfaced with posts that contained racists and threatening messages. Two Arbor View students were arrested and a third was and cited in connection with the account.

RELATED: Parents demand answers after racist threats at Arbor View HS

The Las Vegas NAACP released a statement today following the incident:

In light of recent events at Arbor View High School, the Las Vegas Brach #1111 NAACP Chapter has been in collaboration with the Clark County School District (CCSD) leadership, Criminal Justice leadership, community leadership, Black Student Union Leadership, Faith Based Leadership as well as the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department leadership. It is critically important that we address the egregious harm that has been done to a protected portion of our community in the form of African American students.

Racial divide incidences in southern Nevada date as far back as the 60’s and have recently become a growing issue with Western High School in November of 2018 and leading up to the recent occurrence at Arbor View High School. There is consensus that trauma has been inflicted upon a population that is already suffering from disproportionate inequities. For example: discretionary separation from their sense of self worth, disproportionate suspensions/expulsions, revocation of educational rights, and social injustices.

In the incident at Arbor View High School, white students talked about racial cleansing, calling black students niggers that needed racial cleansing, and even went as far as to post faces of black students they took pictures off of social media. The white students threatened a Columbine II with the hashtag #nomoreniggers. How is this acceptable in 2019?

Events of this serious nature do not occur suddenly or without warning. This is an indication of a more significant climate issue within CCSD and must be immediately addressed within the African American community. The LV NAACP is committed to work in partnership with CCSD, the Nevada Department of Education’s Office of Safe & Respectful Learning, and community leaders to further build upon the work and implementation of the Governor’s Statewide Safety Task Force. The time to act is now.

All schools must be a safe, learning environments for ALL children.