'Unacceptable': Yearbooks at Montreal-area school recalled after racist entry
A West Island high school confiscated over 900 yearbooks after a student snuck racist language into his biography.
The books will be returned after the passage is removed, and the Lester B. Pearson school board says the two students involved will face disciplinary action.
But diversity advocates like Akilah Newton say the major concern is the impact the incident could have on racialized youth at Macdonald High School.
"They learned that someone that they go to school with, a school which is supposed to be a safe place, has these racist thoughts," said Newton, who is the founder of Overture with the Arts (OWTA), a nonprofit that educates youth about diversity.
The entry contained six words, separated by commas. When put together, the first letter of each word spelled a racial slur.
"I realize that teenagers think that things like this are funny, but there's absolutely nothing funny about this," Newton added.
"I hate that we still have to talk about this."
The school board set up a task force on racism and discrimination in 2020 after a video circulated showing two John Rennie High School students in blackface.
Since then, it's worked with community groups to educate students about racism and discrimination.
But for Fo Niemi, director of the Centre for Research Action on Race Relations (CRARR), the yearbook incident illustrates the need to continue these discussions.
"These are the things that can happen, unfortunately," he said. "I think it's important to carry on our conversation with the school population, with the staff."
Community, youth and social justice activist Kemba Mitchell was at the school just a few months ago to speak about the importance of non-biased education and self-advocacy for students of colour.
She says she was disheartened by the news.
"This is a clear reflection of our society's core values when it comes to the treatment of racialized [people], especially members of the African diaspora," she said.
In a statement, the school board called the yearbook entry "extremely inappropriate and unacceptable."
"We cannot let racist attitudes of any kind go unchecked," the message reads.
According to the board, the yearbooks will be returned to students after the passage is removed.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Doctors say capital gains tax changes will jeopardize their retirement. Is that true?
The Canadian Medical Association asserts the Liberals' proposed changes to capital gains taxation will put doctors' retirement savings in jeopardy, but some financial experts insist incorporated professionals are not as doomed as they say they are.
Something in the water? Canadian family latest to spot elusive 'Loch Ness Monster'
For centuries, people have wondered what, if anything, might be lurking beneath the surface of Loch Ness in Scotland. When Canadian couple Parry Malm and Shannon Wiseman visited the Scottish highlands earlier this month with their two children, they didn’t expect to become part of the mystery.
What do weight loss drugs mean for a diet industry built on eating less and exercising more?
Recent injected drugs like Wegovy and its predecessor, the diabetes medication Ozempic, are reshaping the health and fitness industries.
2 military horses that broke free and ran loose across London are in serious condition
Two military horses that bolted and ran miles through the streets of London after being spooked by construction noise and tossing their riders were in a serious condition and required operations, a British government official said Thursday.
'It was instant karma': Viral video captures failed theft attempt in Nanaimo, B.C.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.
Fair in Ontario, flurries in Labrador: Weather systems make for an erratic spring
It's no secret that spring can be a tumultuous time for Canadian weather, and as an unseasonably mild El Nino winter gives way to summer, there's bound to be a few swings in temperature that seem out of the ordinary. From Ontario to the Atlantic, though, this week is about to feel a little erratic.
He replaced Mickey Mantle. Now baseball's oldest living major leaguer is turning 100
The oldest living former major leaguer, Art Schallock turns 100 on Thursday and is being celebrated in the Bay Area and beyond as the milestone approaches.
What a urologist wants you to know about male infertility
When opposite sex couples are trying and failing to get pregnant, the attention often focuses on the woman. That’s not always the case.
Made-in-Newfoundland vodka claims top prize at worldwide competition
A Newfoundland-made vodka has been named one of the world’s best by judges at this year’s World Vodka Awards.