Georgia high school students spell out N-word on shirts at football game

The Laren County School District in Georgia has issued a statement decrying the students’ actions

A group of Georgia high school students spelt out the N-word on shirts at a football game.

The five students at West Laurens High School sparked outrage among residents of Laurens County, local news station WGXA first reported. The teenagers wrote letters on each of their shirts that spelt the racial slur and then wore them to a football match against another school on 16 September.

Images of the group began circulating on social media, with shocked parents bringing them to the attention of school officials and local media.

“To see a picture like that in 2022 is just something that you never want to see because I feel like our ancestors fought so hard for us to get here today, and I feel like it’s just super-disrespectful to see a picture like that,” Quadravious Johnson, who graduated in 2020 from a school in the district, told 13WMAZ.

The Laren County School District issued a statement decrying the teenagers’ actions, but members of the community said the students should be disciplined.

“We do not support, nor condone, any offensive actions of this nature. We are truly disappointed in the choices of these students,” the statement read.

“The environment and teaching at West Laurens High School foster love and respect among our students for each other. What is observed in this picture is completely misaligned with the values of our school and community. Rest assured, the incident is being investigated.”

The group is reportedly known as the ‘Rowdy Raiders’ (Lonzo Jones/Facebook )

Terrence James, whose son attends West Laurens High School, told 13WMAX that the group of teens call themselves the “Rowdy Raiders.”

“[My son] said, ‘Daddy, they asked me to hold a shovel and one of them called me the n-word.’ I was like, ‘What?’” Mr James told the outlet.

West Laurens High School (West Laurens High School/Google Maps )

The Independent has reached out to the district for comment.