PANAMA CITY, Fla. (WMBB) —Administrators at North Bay Haven Charter Academy have suspended a student for making a racist TikTok message that spread around the school.
The school is now dealing with the repercussions.
Earlier this week a student at North Bay Haven told kids to point at a camera. He then layered a voice-over of students almost saying the “N” word in a racial slur TikTok.
North Bay Haven Administrators said the student has now been suspended.
“Serious disciplinary actions we are taking. Of course, parents were brought in to be of the understanding of what transpired,” North Bay Haven Administrator Cas Gant said.
No other students were reprimanded.
“When we first saw it we were very disappointed in the student. That’s not what we represent, we have great kids at the school and that’s not what we do. So we were disappointed,” North Bay Haven Principal Mike Mclaughlin said.
North Bay Haven High School students said they saw the TikTok reposted on other student’s Snapchat stories.
Principal Mike Mclaughlin said the school needs parent’s help to monitor their student’s social media.”
“We pleaded to this family and also to all of our middle school and high school families here at North Bay Haven. And honestly even to our elementary ones as well, Mclaughlin said. “If you’re going to have a cell phone, and you’re going to provide a cell phone to your child, we need your help. We really have to have you monitor your children’s social media accounts.”
Mclaughlin said the student thought the post would be funny.
But he said the school does not tolerate that behavior.
“They upset and offended a lot of people, and it should have. And so we’ve had to reach out and apologize to as many people as we could because that’s not how we are here. We don’t represent that,” Mclaughlin said.
Administrators said they consistently talk to students about cultural issues and respect each other.
Several outraged parents, who sent the video to us, declined to speak with us on camera.
Stay updated with the latest news, weather, and sports by downloading the WGNO app on the Apple or Google Play store and subscribing to the WGNO newsletter.