Racial tension continues at Blount Co. high school

Racial tension continues at Blount Co. high school

April 18, 2005

BLOUNT COUNTY (WATE) -- Students returned to William Blount High School Monday after a week of spring break. But parents and students still describe threatening incidents.

The school was locked down April 6th over racial threats and a hit list. [ school locked down ]

The sheriff's office said a 15-year-old boy was arrested on April 8th and charged after he confessed that he threatened to bring a gun to the high school. [ teen arrested ]

The high school wouldn't allow 6 News cameras on its property Monday but a schools spokeswoman said things were smooth and back to normal.

However, normal wasn't a word students leaving school Monday afternoon used to describe their day.

Students say they felt anxious when they arrived at school. But the sight of more Blount County sheriff's officers helped them feel more at ease.

No hit lists or threatening graffiti were found Monday.

However, a female student who's friends with African American students says she felt threatened by another student in class.

"There's still a lot of racial tension going on," Bridget O'Neill says. "One kid actually made a sign saying that 'The South will rise again.' And that all the n*****s need to die and stuff." She says the boy made the sign in class and hid it in his pocket before teachers saw it."

Larry Higgins told 6 News his child was targeted Monday when he was pulled out of class for looking like a skin head. Higgins says he's furious, calling the school's reaction knee jerk. He says his son had nothing to do with the hit list but was told by teachers to grow his hair longer.

"It's a typical overreaction to what's been going on over here," Higgins says. "Now I realize there may be some problems down there but you just don't drag people out of class and tell them to grow their hair because they wear a short haircut. It's a burr haircut, maybe half an inch long. He's been wearing it like that all his life."

After just one day back in class, students say they're not looking forward to coming back Tuesday. "I think it's going to continue because I've been here for three years and every year it's getting worse and worse," O'Neill says.

Higgins says the school should find the students who created the hit list and put them in racial tolerance training, as well as their parents.

Students told 6 News the school announced a new rule Monday. As of Tuesday, no one can wear or bring the Rebel flag to school or they'll be suspended.

6 News called school officials to confirm that and to confirm that Larry Higgins' son was pulled out of class because his hair is too short but were unable to reach them.

6 News Reporter Shasta Clark contributed to this report.