Heritage Middle School students disciplined after posting video with cruel, offensive language
Some Wake Forest middle school students are in big trouble for posting videos with crude and racially offensive language on social media.
The video shared on Snapchat is laced with an expletive and a racial epithet. One girl is wearing a shirt that says "I (love) the KKK."
"It's really an illusion, this idea of disappearing content," said Laura Tierney, the founder and CEO of the Social Institute, based in Durham
Videos shared with other Snapchat users are supposed to disappear after they are viewed, but that is not always the case.
Tierney schools students on what to do, and what not to do, in digital universe.
Chris McCabe, the principal of Heritage Middle School, says the students involved are being disciplined.
McCabe says, in this case, a recipient of the girls' video posted the clips on social media. Many viewers were clearly upset.
"Because in a phone, where you can digitize anything, anything you click can be permanent," Tierney said.
Wake County school officials declined to talk about the case. But McCabe sent a letter to parents on April 22, saying two students made a video that used racially offensive language. He says school leaders met with the students and their parents and that "appropriate disciplinary action will be taken."
McCabe also asked parents to "please talk with your child about the importance of showing respect at all times toward others, including online."
One of the girls posted an apology on social media, saying: "It was stupid and thoughtless and I do not believe in the things I said at all. I now realize it was a horrible thing to joke about, and not funny in the least."
"It's more important than ever for kids to have social media training in schools," Tierney said.
Tierney says one in four colleges and universities consider social media fair game for vetting an applicant.
"What you share, it sticks around and becomes part of your story. So, there is never a better time to own your story," she said.
