PRESS STATEMENT OF COOK COUNTY COMMISSIONER DR. KISHA McCASKILL


PRESS STATEMENT OF COOK COUNTY COMMISSIONER DR. KISHA McCASKILL


RE: Racist and Unacceptable behavior of Lincoln-Way East Students


I was extremely disappointed and taken aback concerning the disturbing video that showed students from Lincoln-Way East High school displaying racist taunts and verbiage that has obviously outraged not only the Homewood Flossmoor community, but now communities throughout the United States.

While I appreciate the efforts of both school districts in their attempt to offer rationale, resolve and apologies, this must also stand as a teaching moment for not only the students of both Lincoln Way East and Homewood Flossmoor, but a renewed meaning of purpose, cultural diversity awareness and appreciation for all ethnicities.

In addition, the images seen in this very troubling video that have gone viral now throughout the nation and beyond should also focus our attention on this very unfortunate racial tone and tenor of our nation. Our children have witnessed the racial and cultural insensitivity of the current administration as a casual normalcy. Minorities, women included, have become the punching bags and targets of deplorable policy decisions that have reshaped and set our country back decades to the days of racial inferiority, Jim Crow, and an acceptance of slanted superiority.

However, we have an opportunity to use this incident to advocate for increased cultural diversity training for the faculty , staff, and students at both schools. We also should allow our students to speak clearly of their concerns, fears, and perspectives as it relates to resolve, collective action plans, and purposeful demonstrations of restraint, unification of ethnic groups, and non-tolerance of ignorance, biases, and racist behavior.

I applaud the students of Homewood Flossmoor for their resilience and resolute mission to foster an olive branch to the students of Lincoln Highway East to come together and bring a collective and acceptable closure to this matter.

I also applaud those students at Lincoln Highway East who have planned a walkout of the school grounds as a sign of their disdain and condemnation of these specific students who exhibited these bad images that have placed shame and embarrassment upon their school and community.

Both school districts have my full support in their combined actions to remedy this unfortunate and ugly occurrence. I will continue to dialogue with both districts to not only take the necessary steps to seek closure, but to also seek resources for cultural diversity awareness training and the correct forums that will speak boldly to restraint, resistance, and tolerance.

In closing, we must also subscribe to the popular and purposeful methodology of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr who consistently proclaimed that racial equality cannot be achieved without structural change. America must do better!


For More info contact Sean Howard @ 312-498-1371

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