XP from CEP: woman poses w/gorilla, mocking black athlete

[hisno1girl]

(Sorry about the repeats from CEP & ML but I'm sharing this everywhere I can)

From Shaun King's FB page:

I want to tell you a quick story of what it STILL means to be a young, successful Black girl in America in 2016.

Meet Ashton Brooks - the first girl to be on the VARSITY football team in her entire district. She's a kicker and get this - she is the TOP kicker in the entire district with the most PAT's and the highest percentage of made kicks district-wide.

Amazing, Black girl magic. She's also a star soccer player.

But, this is America. So, at her games, young white girls pose with gorillas, take photos, then post pictures on Instagram saying they are taking pictures with Ashton Brooks.

I know we want racism to die, but it appears to be here to stay for a very, very long time.

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Additional information:

This happened in Midland, MI, a county of about 84K residents and is 95.5% white and 1.05 Black.

The local high school does not have a mascot, so for the past few years, students have worn silly costumes for spirit week, like the gorilla, the blue body suits, etc.

Reports indicate that the student in the gorilla costume had no idea that his photo would be used in this manner.

The racist who posted the photo, Reyna Muck, is a former graduate of the school and is now a sophomore at Michigan State university which had been flooded with calls about her post.

Midland Public Schools were very quick to address the situation with this announcement:

Midland Public Schools is aware that a social media post was made after Friday night's annual cross-town rivalry football game between Midland High School and H. H. Dow High School.

MPS is sickened by the social media post and feel awful for Ashton and her family.

The Board, Superintendent and High School Administrators have thoroughly investigated this incident. The girl who posted the photo and caption is a former MPS student. She last attended MPS in the 2014-15 school year and is now college age.

We are equally offended and upset that our Schools and Community have been connected to her comments in this matter. The comments made do not reflect the beliefs of our District or Schools in any way.

During the investigation it was evident that the student in the costume was surprised to learn that this post had been made. He was shocked that some people thought that he was complicit in staging the photo. We believe that based on what we have learned, he was unaware of the post being made and specifically did not know about the girl’s comments until we addressed it with him.

H.H. Dow High School and the Midland Public Schools’ school community is honored to have a student of Ashton's character as a member of our student body. She is an outstanding student, athlete and person. Dow High’s Head Football Coach Jason Watkins’ commented in an October 13 Midland Daily News article, “She’s a great kicker,” Watkins emphasized of Brooks, who kicks right-footed in football and with both feet in soccer. “She’s not our kicker because she’s a girl who can kick. She’s our kicker because she’s the best kicker in the program. And she’s one of the best kickers we’ve had in a long time.”… “From what I observe, she fits right in,” he said. “I love that when we go on a bus ride, Ashton is not sitting up (front) with the coaches; Ashton is sitting back with the team. She’s not Ashton, the girl kicker. She’s Ashton, a member of the team.”

Midland Public Schools will continue to track this information. We will condemn this type of racism and misuse of social media within our Schools, District and Community.

Michael E. Sharrow, Superintendent of Schools,

Midland Public Schools

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I can't PIP from my phone but who wants to see that disgusting photo and anyway, all I can see is red right now.

[meshaliuknits]

How has this person not been punched in the face yet?

[MSU Alum Long Time Past]

Reyna Muck did not graduate from the Midland Public School System. She was there for her junior year but transferred and graduated from some other district. She is a freshman at MSU. Chris Aeschliman posted comments about the offensive photo on the MSU Facebook page and Reyna's mother went ballistic on him. If you want to read the melodrama here it is:

Also, Ms. Brooks returned to the football field this past Friday and took up her place kicker position once again. She got a standing ovation and there was a lot of cheering and signs of support from the crowd. Reyna Muck definitely does not speak for the Midland community.