BERGEN COUNTY

NJ Catholic School Teens Investigated After Racist Instagram Post from Weekend Party

The 25-second video shoes one teen hurling racial epithets and cursing the Black Lives Matter movement while both girls, both underage, appear to be drinking

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Anger and outrage are boiling over in a New Jersey community after a viral video posted online by high school teens shows them making profane, racist comments — leading to current and former classmates calling for them to be expelled.

The 25-second video shows one teen hurling racial epithets while both girls, both underage, appear to be drinking alcohol. One of the students from Immaculate Heart Academy, an all-girls Catholic school in Washington Township, goes on to curse the Black Lives Matter movement, while the other initially appears to tell her to stop, before laughing at the comment.

Reaction to the video posted to Twitter on Valentine's Day has been strong, with the students facing fierce backlash. The video has since been deleted, but many who claim on Twitter to be alumnae of the Bergen County school have called out the post, with one calling it "absolutely disgusting."

In a statement, a spokesperson for the Archdiocese of Newark, which governs the school, said they do not condone racial discrimination, adding that the video is "offensive and racially insensitive." The spokesperson goes on to say that the administration "responded quickly and consistently, following proper protocols, and have been in contact with the families of the involved students.

NBC New York is not sharing the identities of the students because they are believed to be minors.

One local parent said the video is "appalling" and believes that the students should face stiff punishment.

"I think part of it is the responsibility of parents, of schools, of society," Stacey Siegal said. "Not only do I think that they should be expelled, but I think the school should have a class in teaching kids about different races, different religions, to be more accepting."

Administrators said they are thoroughly reviewing the matter, and that appropriate disciplinary actions will be taken, although it was unclear what that punishment would be and if it would include expulsion.

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