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Oakland Mills HS Students Stage Walkout Over Racial Tensions

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Students at Oakland Mills High School held a protest Wednesday over how administrators handled a racist social media post.

Some say they're scared and want more information about whether the student who made the post will be allowed back on campus.

The Howard County superintendent says the law prohibits her from revealing the student's punishment but that it's important for students to stand up against racism after several incidents across Howard County this year.

Student demonstrators live-streamed the walk out at the high school in Columbia. Saying they felt threatened after a fellow student posted a message using the n-word online. They demanded transparency about whether he would be allowed back in class.

"Seeing my freiends, people I love, their reactions, crying, breaking down because they didn't know if they were going to be safe," said 12th grader Anna Belle.

The superintendent explained why she cannot be more transparent.

"We can't talk about the actual consequences students receive. That information is federally protected," said Dr. Renee Foose, superintendent for Howard County Schools.

But she said safety is paramount and stressed she supports allowing students to walk out of class in protest.

"I want their voices raised so when we see hatred, we see acts of violence, we come together as a school, as a community to stop it," she said.

There have been several racially-charged incidents in Howard County schools this year. A Mount Hebron High student's racist rant went viral. Other incidents happened at Altholton High in Columbia, where a student posted a picture in blackface and used a racial slur.

And at River Hill High in Clarksville, where a student posted an image with a gun and a racial slur.

"We don't want to see hate speech being tolerated in our community," said 11th grade student Helen Mann.

"This is a whole lot deeper than just a social media post. This is about how students feel about one another. It's about haterd and bias that exists in our hearts, in our minds. That has to stop," said Foose.

The president of the African American Community Roundtable was critical of county schools--saying if an incident happens at one school--parents across the county should be informed. He says that is not happening now.

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