HEBRON, Conn. — As multiple investigations are underway after a staff member found a noose inside the boys’ locker room at RHAM High School in Hebron, the NAACP says that’s not enough.
“A noose is a weapon just like a gun. If it was a gun, schools would be closed today,” said Leah Ralls, the President of Windham-Willimantic NAACP.
Hebron police and Connecticut State Police are investigating after the noose was found in the locker room on Friday, but the NAACP is now calling on the feds to get involved.
The organization that's been advocating for civil rights for over a century also wants to see more action taken under a new state law that created a centralized hate crimes unit within the state police.
“What we’ve always heard from the leadership is, we don’t have the laws to arrest anybody for this type of behavior, so we worked adamantly on the Democratic side and the Republican side to get the hate crime bill passed,” said Scot X Esdaile the President of NAACP CT.
NAACP leadership met with Regional School District No. 8 Superintendent Colin McNamara following a rally outside of the school Tuesday.
“This is very, very, very deep-rooted," Esdaile said. "The Black community has to take this seriously. We’re not going to wait until somebody’s hanging in one of those nooses.”
The school district said it has been cooperating fully with local and state authorities who have been investigating since Friday.
"Please know that anyone determined to be involved in this matter will be held accountable,” said Regional School District No. 8 Superintendent Colin McNamara.
Retired educator Judy Wollen says parents need to do more at home to educate children on diversity and inclusion.
"You have five-year-olds on the internet," Wollen said. "That's where they become a racist. But you’ve got to get ahead of that and start as the parents of little bitty kids. Buy them picture books that have all kinds of people.”
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