Over the past few days in Cherokee County, Georgia, many students have reported that they've been victims of racism at River Ridge High School/Mill Creek Middle School. This was brought to light by the Instagram account @blackatriverridge. The account first posted on June 17, 2020, and has since posted 67 other stories from POC at the school(s). If this is happening in this zone, it is happening at every other middle/high school in our county.

In the CCSD 2019-2020 Discipline Code, under page 15, it states "No student shall harass any person through disparaging conduct or communication based upon the
person's race, ethnic heritage, national origin, religion, gender, gender identity, disability or handicapping conditions..."

Even though this is in the handbook, I have read multiple stories which state that the Staff of the schools did not give any form of discipline to the students inflicting the problem. I have also read about issues that state that the Staff of the schools are the ones who inflicted the situation themselves. Three stories from the aforementioned Instagram account came from the same teacher.

I, along with many other students, believe that the handbook/discipline code should be modified or reviewed to create stricter guidelines for racism of any kind. This will help at least control the situations by giving students actual discipline for the stories instead of them being shrugged off by Administration.

-Jack Cavender, RRHS Class of 2024