Oak Creek police investigating racial death threat against black high school student
Oak Creek police are investigating a written death threat made against a 15-year-old female African American, who is student of Oak Creek High School.
This incident is the latest in a number of racially charged encounters at high schools that have occurred in the southern reaches of Milwaukee County.
According to a social media post written by a godmother of the threatened student, she found a note at her locker that said, "I will kill your black ass."
"Yesterday (Dec. 17), an Oak Creek High School student reported that she received an anonymous, racially insensitive threat," Oak Creek-Franklin Joint School District Superintendent Tim Culver wrote Tuesday, Dec. 18, in a memo posted on the district's web site.
"The high school administration and the Oak Creek Police Department are working together on an active investigation of this situation," Culver said.
A previous version of this story, based on the comments of the godmother, said the student was president of the student body, but Oak Creek officials said she is not.
RELATED:Students and supporters rally against reported racial slurs at Greendale High School
The n-word
The girl repeatedly has been called various forms of the "n-word," according to the post.
"However, many never welcomed her into Oak Creek," the post said. "and she now faces even more racist acts."
The Monday incident began as the girl was leaving gym class and many "white girls" congregated in front of her locker, according to the post.
"As she approached, they told her that she did not belong at their school. 'Go back to South Milwaukee' and they had to work hard to get in when they were just granted the opportunity to attend," the post said.
"She engaged in the conversation and they had a healthy debate about how she, too, deserved to attend Oak Creek, and she too earned her place," the post said. "Well, as she was leaving, she found the attached note on her locker.
"She immediately took the note to her guidance counselor, who supported her and they went to the associate principal." Police were notified.
Eliminate such conduct
Culver continued: "Please know that the (district) will not tolerate threats or harassment. The district has a strong student harassment and bullying policy in place, which requires thorough investigation and proactive actions to be taken to eliminate such conduct.
"Further information and various tools that can be used to report acts of bullying and/or harassment are available" at www.ocfsd.org/parents/bullying.
Another racial incident involving a black female student occurred in late October at Greendale High School. African-American students there said they felt unsafe following a high-school hallway confrontation over the "n-word" and related suspension of black female student in September.
That girl, a 16-year-old junior, had transferred from Oak Creek High School to Greendale high.
About 50 students, parents and supporters attended an after-school protest rally on Oct. 22 in front of the high school. School staff, parents and students are now working on a "cultural competency plan" to focus on race, culture and equity, according to the district web site.
The godmother closed the post: "Please force this issue so my now distraught, angry and confused 15-year-old goddaughter understands that activism works and we will fight for our own when no one else will!"
