Hanover NAACP raises concerns after racial slur incident at Henrico High School

HENRICO COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) -- The Hanover chapter of the NAACP is voicing serious concerns following an incident involving a racial slur written on a Henrico High school bus by a Hanover High School student. This incident occurred during a junior varsity football game between the two schools last Thursday. According to Hanover County Public Schools, administrators were informed that a racial slur was written on the rear window of a Henrico High school bus. It is believed that the student wrote it with their finger using dirt. Pat Jordan, President of Hanover NAACP, spoke out about the need for more comprehensive responses to racism in schools. Instead of temporary punishments, Jordan is advocating for racial literacy training for both staff and students to foster a more inclusive environment. "What we would like to see is training for all staff so that they can understand what this world is about— inclusion," Jordan said. "We're all humans, and we all have a right to the same things here in our school system." The school district has condemned the act after an investigation into the incident was conducted, with Hanover County Public Schools Interim Superintendent Lisa Pennycuff asserting that the student responsible is being "held fully accountable." “While School Board Policy prohibits the disclosure of student records, we want to assure you that the individual responsible for this reprehensible, hateful and inexcusable incident is being held fully accountable to the fullest extent allowed by the Code of Student Conduct and School Board Policy,” said Pennycuff in a statement. “We also want to note that this student is not a football player for [Hanover High School.]” Pennycuff said that both the Hanover County school division and its school board strongly condemn this act. “As a school division, we stand for unity, respect and inclusion,” Pennycuff said. “We are unwavering in our commitment to being a school division where all students, faculty, staff, and community members feel welcome, valued, and safe. Simply put, there is no place for racism and other forms of hatred in our school communities and beyond, and we reaffirm our commitment to inclusivity and respect.” "Good words, good words. But we would like some action to accompany those words," Jordan said. "When a student does something, the solution is punishment instead of finding out why." She criticized the school board for failing to include the NAACP and parents in discussions about addressing racial issues. She said, in the past, Pennycuff responded by stating that collaboration couldn't occur until mutual trust was established, but Jordan countered that trust has already been broken due to a lack of effective communication and action from the board. In response to this incident, the Hanover NAACP plans to hold a joint press conference with the Henrico NAACP on Wednesday to further discuss the situation and advocate for meaningful changes in the school system. 8News reached out to Henrico County Public Schools for comment on this situation and was provided the following statement: Henrico County Public Schools is aware of an act of vandalism involving a racial slur written on an HCPS bus discovered during Henrico High School’s junior varsity football game at Hanover High School on Thursday night.  We are appalled by this incident and the hate language directed at our students. There is absolutely no place for racism in our schools or community. Hanover County Public Schools administrators have assured us that they share our outrage and that they have taken immediate action to identify and discipline the student responsible.  Henrico Schools prides itself on being a diverse and inclusive community where hate and racism are not tolerated, and we work together to ensure students are safe and treated respectfully on and off campus. Eileen M. Cox, spokesperson for Henrico County Public Schools