Outrage erupts after videos show high school students abusing Black baby doll named ‘Shaniqua’
A California school district is investigating after videos emerged showing white high school seniors abusing a Black baby doll named "Shaniqua."
The videos — posted to an Instagram page called "shaniqua.shs," which has since been made private — show students from Salinas High School using racial slurs, stomping on the doll, running it over with a vehicle and placing it in sexually suggestive positions, according to reports. The videos reportedly were filmed on Friday prior to and during a football Jamboree.
"The SUHSD does not condone this type of behavior and although the District has taken steps to support our African American students and staff, this recent incident demonstrates how much more support is needed," the school district said in a statement. "We urge families to also take time to talk with their students about the damaging effects of racist behavior. Counseling is available at all of our school sites for any students who may need support."
Some parents said they were not surprised by the videos and it's not the first time something similar has happened at the high school, according to KION News Channel.
"These kids feel comfortable enough to do this on campus at a football game where there's parents, where there's staff members and other children. And, you're going to tell me all of the staff being around and even parents, nobody saw this go on, nobody saw that there was something wrong with this," one parent told the station.
A Change.org petition calling for the students involved to be disciplined has garnered more than 5,000 signatures in only a few days.
"People at the Jamboree have said they heard the students using racist slurs and remarks to degrade the Hispanics and (people of color) at the jamboree," the petition states. "A student named Sienna has spoken up about how the principal herself made racist comments when she saw Hispanic students wrapping ribbon around a railing for Alisal students. The principal said, 'Is this the border wall separating us?'"
According Voices of Monterrey Bay, a protest is planned at the school board meeting on Tuesday.
Watch KION's report and read a viral Twitter thread about the controversy below.
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