Troy School District Warns Of Racial Slur 'Trend'

TROY, MI — A racially-charged new trend has hit the Troy School District and school officials are making moves to stop it..

The “trend” comes as racist business card that are circulated among students, encouraging them to use a racial slur. They've been found in schools across the country recently and now Troy school officials say they are in the district.

The Troy School District sent an email to parents Tuesday night alerting them. School officials expressed that it does not reflect the district and would be stopped.

Here’s a look at the email that went out:

Dear ONE Troy,

I wanted to give you a heads up about a horrific national “trend” that has made its way here to the Troy School District. A business card encouraging students to use the “N” word is being circulated online across the country. We have learned that some students in our high schools have been exposed to this and some have shared it on social media and in person.

In no uncertain terms, this does NOT reflect the values of our schools or our District, and we take this very seriously. Ensuring a culture of inclusion and respect for all is a key component of the Troy School District, and we will not tolerate racial intimidation or harassment in any form. Any student found participating in distributing this card—or anything of this nature—will be held accountable, per our student Code of Conduct.

We are very proud of the environment we have built in the TSD, but we are mindful that we can always improve. If you or your child has concerns about issues like this or anything else, please let a school administrator know immediately so we can take appropriate action.

Thank you for your support,

Kerry Birmingham
Director of Communications & Strategic Initiatives
Troy School District

A similar incident was reported by WTOP in Maryland at a school in Montgomery County. In these cases, the incidents involved a "Wonka's Golden N-Word" pass, WDIV reported.