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Palos Verdes High School In Uproar Over Racist 'Promposal' Posted On Social Media

PALOS VERDES ESTATES (CBSLA) — Students at Palos Verdes High School are facing disciplinary action Wednesday after an image of a racist "promposal" surfaced on social media.

The image is of two students wearing gray tops and black pants, holding a sign that says, "You are racist but I would give anything for you to go with me to prom." The odd invitation's lettering is punctuated by bold, enlarged letters that spell out a racial slur for African Americans.

CBS2 has blurred the students' faces because they are minors.

Palos Verdes High School principal Allan Tyner says students are encouraged to express themselves in fun and creative ways – but called the sign in question offensive and derogatory and simply unacceptable.

Tyner said in a statement:

"This life lesson is critical and is one that school and home must partner to teach. At the same time, I am heartened by the immediate response by our students and families on social media that make it very clear that our community does not support this behavior."

School officials say the students have been identified and will be punished, and that they are still looking for other students who were involved.

Local NAACP president Cheyenne Bryant told CBSLA that Tyner would not meet with the group to discuss the incident.

"The principal here at Palos Verdes High School wouldn't even come out and address us," said Bryant.

Calls made to the school on behalf of CBSLA were not returned.

racist-promposal
(credit: CBS)

So-called promposals – elaborate invitations to prom that are usually documented for social media – have been on the rise in recent years.

But similar racist gestures seem to be a new trend, with recent examples popping up in East Los Angeles – earlier this month, a James A. Garfield High School senior reportedly asked a fellow student to prom with a poster that read, "Do you want to be like a [racial slur] and hang at prom?" over a drawing of a tree with a figure hanging from it – and across the nation, from Ohio to Texas to Florida.

Tyner says he plans to meet with all students Wednesday, class by class, to review appropriate behavior and "how the use of hurtful racial slurs like the one used on this recent picture posted on social media is unacceptable."

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