School governors reject expulsions over 'mock slave auction'

The board of governors of a secondary school in Somerset has refused to expel a group of white pupils who reportedly chained a black student to a lamppost, subjected him to racist abuse and whipped him with sticks as part of a “mock slave auction”.

Police are investigating the incident, which took place during lunchtime on 22 January at a school in Bath. It is understood that at least seven teenagers participated in the alleged attack.

The headteacher of the school, which has not been named to protect the victim’s identity, initially expelled three of the alleged perpetrators, but school governors overturned the decision and allowed the teenagers to return to class. Four other pupils were temporarily excluded.

The school did not inform parents about the incident until Tuesday, and many have contacted the Bath Chronicle to express their anger.

“It just sends the wrong message out to the children. I’ve got a mixed-race son. He’s thinking ‘they’re going to stick up for the white kids but we get in trouble if we do something wrong’,” one father told the newspaper.

His partner added: “The boy it happened to is just the sweetest little thing ever. He’s so sweet and kind and gentle. It just makes it even worse. The thing is, I’ve got a mixed-race child and so has my partner. They believe nothing will happen to white children if they behave badly but something happens to them.”

Source: theguardian