Earlier today, June 5, 2020, as protesters spanned the entire nation calling for racial justice on all levels, we saw a set of racially-motivated hate crimes unfold right here in Forsyth County, Georgia.

What appeared to be a group of students drove past crowds of peaceful protesters calling for more government action to regulate police officers in our state and for acceptance beyond racial boundaries, and committed an unjust act of hatred. They rolled down their windows while playing a racially insensitive song ("I Don't Like N******s") and shouted out the following.

"F*** them N****rs."

And in another isolated incident, a student in our county mockingly posed in the same position as Officer Chauvin was in when he so brutally murdered George Floyd. Pictures of his act were heavily spread out over common social media platforms such as Snapchat, and triggered a stream of insight from students across our county that justly condemned the actions of the student who posted these pictures.

The students involved in this set of acts of racial injustice attend a high school in the community that we so know and love. In fact, we know that the main perpetrator in this instance attends Forsyth Central High School. As members of Forsyth County, we are committed to the vision of our county as a home for all races, genders, nationalities, and religions, and we have a moral responsibility to keep out those who threaten our sense of unity.

By signing this petition, you are voicing your grievances unto the events that unfolded today, and urging Forsyth County to hold those involved accountable by expelling them from our district.

Let's all make an effort to uphold justice, and to make sure that everyone feels welcome as a member of our community. Silence is complicity, and we owe it to ourselves and our neighbors to make our community a safe haven for all.

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If you would like to contribute more to our effort, please voice your concerns to the following points of contact in the Forsyth County Schools district.

Forsyth County Schools Phone #: (770) 781-2101, Forsyth Central High School Phone #: (770) 887-8151, Georgia Department of Education Phone #: (404) 656-2800

Forsyth County Schools Email: info@forsyth.k12.ga.us, Georgia Department of Education Email: askdoe@gadoe.org

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Below you will find a template to draft an email to the above addresses:

Dear [Point of Contact],

I, as a student in the Forsyth County Schools district, refuse to sit in the same classroom as an individual who discriminates based upon the color of my skin. The actions of students involved in the racially-motivated hate crimes that unfolded on June 5, 2020 should be recognized by our school district. By not taking a stand on an issue that affects our county, we as a community are giving tacit approval for acts like these to occur in the future.

I’m asking for those involved in this set of acts to be expelled from Forsyth County for their actions, and will not rest until this goal is achieved. I’m a firm believer that silence is complicity, and will not stand to support a county that does not equally represent its students, no matter their race, gender, sexual orientation, or creed.

And I'm not alone. Over a thousand students, former and current, from Forsyth County, have petitioned for our county to take actions into their own hands, and to rightfully punish those involved in this instance. View our petition at https://www.change.org/justiceinfoco

Sincerely,

[First and Last Name]