A high school student in Texas has been expelled after posting a racist video of a student-athlete to social media.
According to ABC 8, Divona Philips found a video on Instagram that had been edited to place her 16-year-old son's face onto an enslaved character from the 1970s television miniseries Roots — a scene depicting a Black man being brutally beaten until he renounces his African name and identity.
The video surfaced around the time of a playoff game between Burleson High School and Birdville High School.
"He was like, 'mom, don't cry. Don't cry,'" Philips told ABC, adding that she was emotional while showing her son the video. "But it really hurt my feelings to see him portrayed as a slave."
Phillips' son, Mason Williams, is a third-year varsity basketball player for Burleson Centennial High School. The student who posted the video attended Birdville High School. The video was traced to an account calling itself Birdville Barstool.
Birdville ISD were able to locate the student who posted the video within an hour. The 16-year-old attended Birdville High School on an open enrollment application. The district revoked that application, removing the student from the school. Birdville has also referred the matter to local law enforcement.
Birdville ISD released the following statement on the matter:
"Birdville ISD is disappointed and outraged by the video. We deeply regret that the actions of one young, independent individual have caused harm to two school communities and we condemn such behavior. Birdville ISD is embarrassed and appalled that such content would be tied to our community. This video does not reflect the standards, values, character or expectations we have for those who are attempting to associate with Birdville ISD in any capacity."
