Today students and their parents at Collingswood High School plan to gather at 11:30 am to protest the district’s refusal to address systemic anti-Black racism.

Collingswood High School is 60% white, 21% Hispanic, and 12% Black.

According to both sources and social media postings, on Monday two Black female students  described an encounter with a white guidance counselor whom they said was “hostile.” She approached them and said they were talking too loudly, then told them they couldn’t talk at all. The two girls were waiting to speak to a different counselor about what they regarded as the district’s neglect of Black History Month but they were told to leave the counseling office even though it was obvious they were in distress. “Not one teacher tried to resolve the issue.”

A Change.org petition just went up titled “Say No to Racism and Discrimination at CHS/Collingswood High School.”

Here is what is circulating in town today(edited for clarity):

Many students say they have been turned away by the counseling office when in a clear state of distress/ panic. Another Black female student came into the counseling office in a panic because she had recently lost a family member. She was told by a counselor that she needed to leave because she was on her phone and told the student she was “rude.” 

In another incident today, two Black female students were suspended for 3 days because staff said they were being “disrespectful.” The students say they were only explaining their concerns about the racism in this school. A student stated that the staff is automatically suspicious of any Black kid that goes to the school. Not only is that racial profiling, it’s the worst impression you could put on a group of young adults. 

Multiple students say they are upset at the lack of posters/talk about Black History Month as a lot of them experience racism in the school. Another Black student reported that they were followed by administrators through the halls, and said a teacher told them, “no one is going to believe you when you say people are being racist to you if you say it so much.” That student was shut down on multiple occasions by certain staff when exposing discrimination in the school. 

Another student recently reported that they were in the quiet room, which is an alternative place to eat lunch, but they didn’t have a seat. They asked a staff member if they could find them a spot to sit in there but the staff member told them to sit outside. Around 10:30 Monday the same student put their bag down to claim their spot, but when they got back they were aggressively asked to move by white staff and students . The student said this was the third time this happened where they came back to eat lunch and staff refused them a place to sit and or students moved their things so they could have their spot. The student says, “I feel like the school has honestly given up on me and other students. I don’t even feel happy coming into my own school. The principal even told me I had a “resting bitch face” and that’s why he looks at me in such a judgmental way. I have seen Black students being treated completely differently [than white students]. The staff says things like ‘good morning’ to the white kids and not us. The Black students have to take their hoodies and headphones off but they don’t say that to the white kids. Last week when I had mentioned it was Black History Month around a group of white students, they all groaned, one even said, ‘oh my god.’

Recently, a student reported a white student called a Black student a “monkey” when the Black student was “in her way.” Another Black student reported an airdrop message of a picture of a monkey. that was sent to them by a white male in their class.  When the student brought the incident to the Administration’s attention, nothing was done. Students are saying Collingswood High School is getting tiring, stressful, and draining, and they can’t stand being in the building.

Another student said, ”I had told Mrs. Heart this school is racist, but all she said back was yeah, it is.”

Here are a few of the comments from parents and other Collingswood residents:

“I am speaking to the NJ Commissioner of Education who wants to discuss racism and discrimination today at Rowan University I will ask questions on your behalf and on behalf of all marginalized groups.”

“This is why I tell my sons they’re not allowed to be friends with any white kids at CHS. We need to have a Black-only section at CHS. I was pissed when they told me a white student is the head of Black Student Union there.”

“Collingswood High School: Let me speak directly out about this school and the year of abuse I suffered from going to not only this school but the middle school. I also attended Thomas Sharp Elementary School in Collingswood. So many years I had to go through counseling because I wanted to commit suicide for the bullying I encountered from not only the students but from the staff as well. Don’t get me wrong—there was a few good teachers but when I’m going years and years in school in this district and I’m making so many complaints about the other classmates and of course i’m the problem to them because I was the poor kid. My mom was an addict working at McDonald’s and she didn’t have time to attend the meetings so it was left for me to deal with getting the heavy load. Kids threw rocks at me. In 4th grade I intentionally flunked school just to be away from those students because I was tired of the abuse. They never taught Black history I didn’t know who Dr. Martin Luther King Jr was until I went to Yorkship in Camden. I thought that Christopher Columbus was this amazing man who discovered America when he was actually a slave owner who didn’t discover America. I ended up having eating disorders. In 8th grade my “friend” decided to tell the whole grade I was gay and instead of having her and the people who were bullying me  get into trouble I was sent to have more counseling, taking more time away from my learning because they failed to do their job. I cried everyday coming home from school. I don’t know how I even survived. I don’t know how I even made it to 10th grade. 9th grade I was always cutting class. Cutting school. Majority of our grade now is dead or on drugs. Same with other grades who have graduated before me or dropped out. There was constant racism in the school with other students and in front of staff and the staff wouldn’t say anything.  In fact they were the ones saying it too. This school needs a lot of changes. This school is killing a lot of innocent  people who are dying due to Collingswood High School’s reckless behavior. The male principals and teachers are pervs as well. I know a few of them who have flirted with the students. 7th and 8th graders. Pay attention and talk to your children and I would advise you to think twice before sending your child here!”