More than 10 percent of North Cobb High School students missed class Friday, concerned that a student suspended for threatening black people in a social media message would return to class.
District spokeswoman Donna Lowry said the school of about 2,900 had more than 310 absences after first period Friday, nearly three times the normal rate.
Several parents say they were told the student who made the rant would not return to the school. Others said they were told the student would not return for Friday classes. Parents concerned over the teen’s message are expected to meet over the weekend about what they want from the school’s leaders. They see the student’s statement more as terrorist threats, parent Blanca Rojas said.
"We just feel so in limbo,” she said. "We want answers.”
The student was disciplined by the school after administrators were made aware of the online rant, posted to Snapchat, that mentions wanting slavery back and refers to black people as the n-word.
Lowry confirmed the student did not attend classes at North Cobb High on Friday. She said they cannot comment on a student’s disciplinary record.
Students planned to walk out of classes Friday morning if the student returned.
Friday, parent Margaret Singleton said she kept her children home because she was fearful of whether any threats in the teen’s rant would be carried out.
The day before, she spoke with other parents who shared the same sentiments after being told by school administrators that the teen would likely return because he’d simply made a mistake.
“What are you going to say when he kills someone? That it was a mistake?” she said. “This was not a mistake. It was deliberate and intentional.”
A letter sent to North Cobb High parents from the school's administration decried the message in the social media post.
“The North Cobb High School administration and staff does not condone this type of profane and bigoted behavior in our school,” the letter stated. “The message was deplorable and we denounce everything about it. We take this matter very seriously and we are addressing it in accordance with Cobb County School District policies and procedures.”
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