PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — St. Hubert Catholic High School for Girls has expelled the students involved in a social media video last week participating in blackface and using racist language. The school also announced over the weekend new safety measures and anti-racist actions to be taken.
Last week, St. Hubert confirmed that three of its students were involved with the the video, and the Archdiocese said one of the girls involved is from a non-Catholic high school.
A statement from the Holmesburg school's principal and president confirmed the news, saying the school community has been "wounded by the actions of a handful of formerly enrolled students."
In the video, several white teenage girls laugh and shout comments about slavery and Black History Month as one of them sprays dark paint on the face of another girl who is playing along.
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Archbishop Nelson J. Pérez, who leads the the Archdiocese of Philadelphia and Catholic schools in the region, distributed a personal statement on Friday, condemning the students' actions and calling racism "a mortal sin," "a vile evil" and "an attack on the integrity of ... human life." At Sunday's Mass, he called on area Catholics and the broader community to work together to defeat racism.
"The recent actions of a few have ripped open deep wounds in your school and our community-at-large," he wrote.
"As we move forward, I urge all of you to embrace your individual and collective responsibility to stamp out racism in a manner that promotes peace, justice, and the call of Christ to live in the spirit of charity."
In response to "reactionary general threats" made against the school last week, St. Hubert students did their class work from home. In an announcement Saturday, St. Hubert outlined new safety measures in partnership with the Philadelphia Police Department's 15th district and plans for anti-racist actions at the school.
"At this time, we have no knowledge of any threats against the safety of the school or any planned protests for next week. However, we are taking precautions to provide for safety. On Monday, when faculty and students return to our school building, there will be a visible and active police presence around the campus perimeter. Our security guard will also be present throughout the school day, making rounds both in and out of the building."
In addition to new collaborative efforts with the archbishop’s Commission on Racial Healing and the Office for Black Catholics, the school says the Anti-Defamation League will be conducting anti-bias workshops with faculty, staff and administrators starting on Feb. 20.