EUREKA, Mo. — Parents in the Rockwood School District are upset and want change, after another racist incident.
The principal of Eureka High School wrote an email to families on Friday, saying the school discovered a video of racist messaging on school property.
5 On Your Side spoke to one parent, Latisha Smith, who is also a former Rockwood School District student.
She said change needs to happen now.
Smith went to Rockwood from fourth grade to graduation and said her children are experiencing a completely different district.
"For those of us as parents, for those of us who are former parents and former students. It just doesn’t sound like the Rockwood that many of us knew and were familiar with," she said.
Smith said her initial thought was sadness after she heard what happened at Eureka High School on Thursday.
"A lot of times I don’t understand, even as an adult, where some of this hate is coming from. I don’t understand what questions may be looming for the person that does these things, misunderstandings they may have," she said.
School leaders said a video was posted in a private group on social media of two restroom stall doors marked "White toilet" and "Colored toilet."
Eureka High School's principal Corey Sink said they investigated immediately and confirmed the stickers were no longer there.
He said, in an email to EHS students and families, that the video was taken down and the student who posted it had been identified and punished.
Smith said it's affecting her children's education.
"To hear them say things like they can’t wait to graduate, they want to leave the district. My daughter still has several years remaining and has asked me about being able to go somewhere else at times. It really saddens me," she said.
Parents said this issue isn't new.
5 On Your Side has covered multiple stories in recent years with families and parents who say racism is a problem in the Rockwood School District.
Rockwood has a new superintendent this year, Curtis Cain.
He sent an email to district staff and families on Friday and called the incident "disturbing."
While Smith said it is disheartening, she is still holding onto hope that change could come.
"I’m holding out hope that the district will turn a corner. That the right leadership will come around the table, that they will include the people that’s necessary, that the people who are having these concerns and these challenges that’s causing them to act in a way that’s not fundamentally right," she said.
Smith said adult conversations need to happen within the district.
"At the end of the day everything that’s happening is hurting children. If what we want is for all of our children to be successful, if you want your kids to have everything you feel is deserving of them, there has to be a way that we can come together and figure out what that means for all of us," she said.
According to Smith, parents like her want to be invited to the table to offer solutions and change.
"Allow us to be at the forefront too, allow our voices to be heard, allow us to showcase the good things we are doing, so for all of these are horrible incidents and they aren't showing all the great incidents that happen around the district that do honor diversity, that do honor differences," she said.
From what Smith is hearing and learning, she doesn't believe these hateful acts are the thought process of the majority of the district and the community.
"What it seems like is there a small section or maybe a few sections of people that feel this way, but it seems like their voices are being illuminated and their actions are getting all of this attention, so it makes it seem like Rockwood is a bad place to be in currently and it's making our kids feel that way as well," she said.
5 On Your Side did reach out to the Rockwood School District to see if Superintendent Cain or any other administrator would agree to talk about this incident and what the district can do moving forward.
The district declined an interview at this time, but sent this statement:
Last week, a video was brought to our attention that was posted in a private group on social media of two bathroom stall doors at Eureka High that were marked “White toilet” and “Colored toilet.” As soon as building administrators learned about the post, they commenced an investigation and confirmed the stickers were no longer on any bathroom doors. The video has since been taken down, and the student who posted it has been identified and is subject to consequences in accordance with our Student Discipline and Consequences Handbook, which outlines that any student behavior that harrasses, discriminates or defames others will not be tolerated under any circumstances.
Actions and speech that degrade an individual’s human dignity have no place in our schools and fly in the face of the work we do every day to promote a culture of understanding, respect and kindness. We take them very seriously, and those responsible will be held accountable. That is our responsibility as educators and we owe that to the families who entrust us with the education and safety of their children every day.
Letter from Superintendent Curtis Cain
Letter from Principal Corey Sink