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A high school student’s promposal has gone viral for all the wrong reasons.
Noah Crowley, an 18-year-old student at Riverview high school in Sarasota, FL, decided to woo his potential prom date with a sign that read: “If I was black I’d be picking cotton, but I’m white so I’m picking U 4 Prom?”
The recipient of the racist promposal allegedly responded in the affirmative with two heart-eye emojis on Snapchat.
Numerous people reacted to viral photo on social media. Many expressed their disgust (but not necessarily surprise) at this type of insensitive and inappropriate behavior in 2018.
this is Noah Crowley a Riverview High School student. he seems to not know about America’s history. RACISM IS A PROBLEM. definitely should not be allowed to go to prom!! pic.twitter.com/yQhMDrqnhU
— tia yahnke (@TBraelynn) April 23, 2018
“If I was Black I’d be picking cotton but I’m white so I’m picking u 4 Prom.”
Yes, this open racism is in 2018 America.
Happy Confederate Memorial Day ??#WhereWasHeRadicalized? https://t.co/S9chhnsNX5 pic.twitter.com/c4sRTHWbwN
— Qasim Rashid, Esq. (@MuslimIQ) April 23, 2018
One person even claims she knows the couple at the center of the controversy and that this is not an “isolated incident.”
i know these people personally (i worked with buddy’s gf) & i just want to let everyone know this isnt an isolated incident or “just a joke” the two of them are known to make racist jokes and for their prejudices. yall come for them with everything u got!!!!
— sarah? (@saraheminkus) April 23, 2018
READ MORE: #GolfingWhileBlack: White men call police on Black women for golfing ‘too slowly’
School and Community Reaction
Kathy Wilks, acting principal of Riverview High School, spoke with WFLA yesterday about the racist promposal.
“It was racial in nature and administration became aware of it last night. Many who saw the post are understandably upset with its contents as well as the subsequent commentary to the post. Riverview High School absolutely does not condone or support the message conveyed in this post.”
Wilks told the station that there is an investigation underway and once that is complete, “appropriate action” will be taken.
The Sarasota chapter of the NAACP wants the consequences of this incident to send a strong message to all young people.
“A strong statement needs to be made to their student body that this type of behavior will not be tolerated on any of our campuses throughout the school district, and, if so, there are going to be severe consequences,” said NAACP Sarasota chapter President Trevor Harvey. “When we see so many heightened race relations throughout our country, our district has to take a proactive standpoint to make sure that that stuff doesn’t spill off into our schools.”
When sorry’s not enough
According to local station 10News, Crowley took to social media to apologize in the hours after his photo went viral. (10News did not specify the platform or directly link to the alleged apology post.)
“I want to sincerely apologize if I have offended anyone with the picture going around. That was not my intention. Anyone who knows me or ***** [edited by 10News] knows that that’s not how we truly feel. It was a completely joke and it went too far,” read the post.
As of now, the prom is still scheduled to take place on May 5. The school has not yet announced what, if any, consequences Crowley will face.