NEW LENOX, Ill. (WBBM Newsradio) – Six Lincoln-Way East High School students accused of racially harassing Homewood-Flossmoor students at a football game have withdrawn from the school rather than continue through the expulsion process.
The Lincoln-Way Community High School District 210 Board of Education unanimously approved the withdrawals Thursday.
Video from the Sept. 4 game in Flossmoor showed Lincoln-Way East students directing monkey noises and gestures toward Homewood-Flossmoor students.
Superintendent Scott Tingley said administrators interviewed students, reviewed multiple video recordings and consulted with attorneys during an eight-school-day investigation.
“And ultimately resulted in the administration recommending expulsion for the students determined to have been involved,” Tingley added.
Their parents instead chose to remove them from Lincoln-Way East, requiring the students to forfeit all district privileges.
The district apologized following the football game, but some students and parents criticized its response during Thursday’s board meeting.
“To allow those children to withdraw rather than expelling them is very problematic for me because there is no accountability,” said parent advocate Sequoia Williams.
“Part of your plan here has to be making sure that every student knows exactly what the consequences are for behaving this way,” added Rebecca Brown whose daughter is a junior at Lincoln Way East. “Not a vague reminder about the code of conduct, but a clear message that says if you do this, here is what happens.”
The controversy also includes separate allegations involving Lincoln-Way East’s girls cross-country program. Homewood-Flossmoor athletes alleged that a Lincoln-Way East coach and members of the team made racist comments, noises and gestures during a meet in Western Springs.
Lincoln-Way said its investigation did not find that its employees or student-athletes intended to harass or offend competitors. The Illinois High School Association is investigating the allegations under its hate speech and harassment policy.
Tingley said the district is cooperating with the IHSA and will not comment further until that review and any other potential investigations are complete.
The district also plans to introduce additional diversity and inclusion education at its high schools.
