Carmel students say they face racism as group pushes for change
CARMEL, Ind. (WISH) — A Carmel group is demanding Carmel High School stands up against racism after multiple students of color say they were sent racist videos and messages on social media.
Carmel Against Racial Injustice shared the videos, pictures and voicemails on Facebook on Friday night; one message said a student should be lynched and enslaved.
“We’re obviously really concerned about Black and brown and marginalized students in Carmel,” said Alicia Duffy, information liaison for Carmel Against Racial Injustice. “But also, what does that say to white students if they’re able to behave this way?”
Group leaders say since forming back in June, they’ve had a constant stream of students contacting them about discrimination.
“I’d say hundreds of people,” said Ashten Spilker, CEO of Carmel Against Racial Injustice. “There has not been one person that we have spoken with that doesn’t have an experience.”
The group says they met with Carmel Clay Schools administrators, asking them to implement an anti-racist policy, make a public statement denouncing racism and develop an equity committee.
“It only makes sense,” Duffy said. “Why wouldn’t we want to write this stuff out and do what we can to protect our students?”
So far, the group said they only have a denouncement of racism from Superintendent Michael Beresford and a conversation about those steps possibly happening over time. However, they’d like more from the high school and for action to be taken soon.
“So you have students that are immediately in crisis,” Spilker said. “It needs to be addressed. There needs to be something in place immediately and it’s not something that can be waited on because at this point, student dignity and student life is at stake.”
News 8 reached out to Carmel Clay Schools for a statement and on Sunday night had not heard back.