A group of high school students in New York faced online criticism and accusations of racism after filming themselves repeatedly shouting a racial slur.
A video circulating online showed a group of students allegedly from Colonie Central High School. One student held a phone and filmed himself alongside the others as they appeared in the clip.
Several students then began repeatedly shouting the n-word. The student filming appeared to smile as the racial slur was used, while others laughed. None of the students visible in the room appeared to speak out against the behavior.
The video drew criticism online, with viewers demanding that the students be held accountable for their behavior. TikTok user @cj_thealchemist shared the clip and alleged that the school had failed to address the incident, writing, “Colonie Central High School doesn’t care about racism.”
The TikTok user alleged that one student received only a one-game suspension from the soccer team, while another was suspended from school for just one day. He claimed that the remaining students involved were sent home. “No suspensions, nothing,” he said.
Students at Colonie Central High School later organized a walkout over how the school handled the incident. About 70 students reportedly participated, with some arguing that the punishment did not match the seriousness of the behavior. He claimed that one protester received three days of detention, while another was suspended for five days after posting a video saying “bye racist.” He further alleged that seven students who participated in the walkout were suspended.
“So it’s clear that the administration at Colonie Central High School does not care about racism, doesn’t care about protecting these children from all forms of bigotry. You know what I’m saying? They just want to sweep this under the rug,” he said. The TikTok user also claimed that the school sent an email expressing greater concern about the protest than the students’ use of racial slurs. Superintendent David Perry has disputed that characterization, telling families that ‘racism will never be tolerated’ in the district.
The South Colonie Central School District has since confirmed that the video was recorded off school grounds and that several students were disciplined for violating the district’s Code of Conduct. However, officials have not publicly disclosed the specific punishments given to individual students.
Viewers Slam New York Students Over Racist Video
Many viewers criticized the New York high school students for repeatedly using a racial slur in the video, arguing that they should face consequences for their behavior. “It’s a sickness!” one person wrote. Another commenter expressed frustration, saying, “they’re so obsessed with us.” Someone else questioned why the students were using the slur in the first place, adding, “it’s so weird. We don’t even be in the room.”
Other viewers expressed frustration over the school’s alleged handling of the incident. This is particularly regarding the claims that students who protested received harsher punishments than those who used the racial slur. “It pisses me off they decided to suspend protesters than those racist [expletive] like [expletive] ?!?!?” one person wrote. Another commenter suggested that similar incidents were happening elsewhere. “This must be the new thing to do because they’re doing it where I live at too, screaming it out loud in public places,” they said.
The controversy has since moved beyond social media, with dozens of Colonie Central students walking out of school over what they viewed as inadequate discipline. While the district says several students involved in the video were disciplined, officials have not disclosed the specific consequences.
