The story: In July, a photo circulated on social media of a group of eight Caucasian girls from Barrington High School at a “white-out” party, at which guests dress in white clothing. The caption on the image was “KKK.” (Tribune news article)
The reaction: Viral outrage and accusations of racism. Demands for strong punishment. A statement from school officials promising to investigate and adding that “in no way does (the photo) represent the values of Barrington 220.”
The facts: “White-out” parties have nothing to do with race. They’ve been a thing since the 1970s, and African-American rapper Sean “Diddy” Combs has been famously hosting them since the late 1990s. And “KKK,” in this case, referred to initials of the girl hosting the party, and not, as many assumed, the Ku Klux Klan.
The fallout: School officials say they decided not to discipline the girls. But parents of six of them are suing the district for defamation, and they’re due in court for a status hearing Monday.
Judge Zorn’s verdict: This is a teachable moment, not a federal case. Yes, the district overreacted and fed the howling online mob before conducting a proper investigation. But whoever put the KKK caption on the photo ought to have known the common, incendiary understanding of those letters and the particular toxicity of them in relation to anything “all white.” Apologies are due all around, including from those who heaped abuse on these girls online before learning the facts.
