Racially charged photos taken by former RPS students circulate

Racially charged photos depicting black face resurface.

We're hearing from Rochester alumni calling for change.

Will temps rise?

Thank you for joining us for kimt news 3 at 10?

"* i'm katie lange.

And i'm george mallet.

Five years ago ?

"* former rochester public schools students took racially charged photographs wearing black clothing and black paint on their bodies and faces.

Tonight ?

"* we're finding out these photos are circulating again on social media.

Kimt news three's isabella basco is hearing the outrage... frustration and anger of alumni who just want to see change in their district.

She joins us live.

Isabella?

Katie and george... the district claims they had not seen these photos before yesterday.

But alumni of rps tell me this is far from an isolated incident and racism in schools needs to stop.

Insensitive.

Hurtful.

Further perpetuating systemic racism.

That's how rochester public schools describe these images on facebook.

The district reports it started an invesitgation around the images.

"i just was wondering how it even passed by the school and how more people weren't angered, confused, disgusted, because a lot of people were hyping them up and telling them oh it's so cool rather than telling them it's terribly wrong.

Two years ago ?

"* this photograph of students wearing black face and ku klux klan outfits circulated.

The district confirmed at least attended john marshall high school.

Muntaas farah graduated from mayo high school and is somali?

"* american.

"you feel invisible, i feel like even though there are high populations especially at mayo of people of color, you feel like your voices aren't heard.

People, they don't take you seriously."

Her experience is like samia abdi's ?

"* a black somali american who also graduated from the school.

"there was a lot of racial incidents that happened at our school specifically.

Administration at the school, i remember i one time i brought up to i think he's now the principal at mayo, we brought up that students were calling us the n word and racial slurs and he reacted by saying: oh black students say the n?

"*word all the time."

Farah and abdi believe its time for change.

"although the community is diverse, it's very segregated.

I feel like i reached out to rochester public schools and the principal at mayo high school for a statement.

They tell me in part: "unfortunately the district is not able to respond to inquiries regarding current or former students or personnel matters."

Live in rochester ib kimt news 3.

Thank you isabella.

Rps referred kimt news 3 to the statement they made on facebook today saying in part: "rps is committed to diversity and inclusivity and we acknowledge that like many organizations and districts, we have a long way to go."

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