Foothill High student’s post citing George Floyd death investigated
The Clark County School District is investigating a viral social media post showing a student referencing the death of George Floyd in an invitation to a dance.
The image, which circulated widely over the weekend, shows a female student posing with a large poster with Floyd’s name and a handwritten note that said, “If you went to SADIES w/me it would take my BREATH away!”
The image prompted Foothill High School in Henderson and the school district to release a joint statement Friday that they are “aware of the matter and are currently investigating.”
“Foothill and CCSD will not tolerate racially insensitive behaviors that contradict an inclusive community and impact the school culture of our students,” the email from the school said. “As you are aware, Foothill High School and CCSD can not comment on individual student matters or discipline, we assure you the issue is being addressed.”
An email from Foothill Principal Lisa Burkhead to school members Monday added that she was planning “several virtual student town hall forums to listen to students impacted by recent events.”
It’s not immediately clear where and when the photo was taken, though it appears to show the student on an athletics field. Foothill High School has not held dances this school year, as all district schools have been doing distance learning to date.
Floyd, a Black man, died in May 2020 after a white police officer knelt on his neck for over 9 minutes. His pleas that he couldn’t breathe became a mantra during Black Lives Matter demonstrations over the summer.
Former Minneapolis Police Department officer Derek Chauvin is charged with second-degree unintentional murder and second-degree manslaughter in Floyd’s death, with a trial set to begin next month. Trials for the other three other officers present on the scene are slated for later this year.
Last week, the Los Angeles Police Department announced an internal investigation into a “Valentine’s Day-themed” image that had circulated throughout the department referencing Floyd’s death and expressing a similar sentiment to the one on the student’s poster.
Contact Aleksandra Appleton at 702-383-0218 or aappleton@reviewjournal.com. Follow @aleksappleton on Twitter.
