Top school's pupils in hot water over racist WhatsApp post

Rondebosch Boys High's is one of Cape Town’s oldest and most prestigious schools. File photo: Enver Essop

Rondebosch Boys High's is one of Cape Town’s oldest and most prestigious schools. File photo: Enver Essop

Published Jan 22, 2017

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Cape Town - The principal of one of Cape Town’s oldest and most prestigious schools has described an incident, in which three pupils recorded and distributed a racist song this week, as a “hugely disappointing experience” and as a “bewildering and hurtful episode”.

According to Rondebosch Boys’ High School, the sentiments expressed in the audio recording, made in the boys’ homes and posted on a WhatsApp group, had caused offence among the school community.

In one of the voice notes, one pupil sings: “I feel pain unearthly because of my hatred of k*****s.”

In a second recording, one of the boys explains that he isn’t racist and doesn’t hate any race.

“I never use the word, it’s so rude,” he says, while the others laugh.

School principal, Shaun Simpson said: “There is no doubt that there is some tension in the school. But it is also clear that the vast majority of parents, teachers and pupils are aligned in their abhorrence of the actions of these boys.

Subsequently two of the boys have been removed by their parents and one has remained. He will face a disciplinary hearing next week.

Simpson said last year the school invited a group of mostly black parents to a discussion following conversations with several black parents, including on complaints of racism.

“I wanted to try to understand some of the challenges facing particularly black boys and their parents at the school. These parents included human rights activists, lawyers, academics and others who have a history of engaging strongly on issues of justice and human rights in our society. We will use the recommendations of this forum to broaden our consultation to past and present pupils and teachers”, he said .

Simpson said the incident would also be used to work harder on ensuring that there was unity in diversity.

The Western Cape Education Department said it viewed the incident in a serious light and its senior official participated in meetings with the school and the department was being kept informed.

Western Cape Education Department spokesperson Paddy Attwell said the principal had held several meetings over the past week with the pupils and their parents, and with the governing body.

He has also addressed all the pupils on the issue at an assembly.

Attwell said the department would continue to support all schools in dealing with diversity issues.

Weekend Argus

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