Seaholm Administrators are investigating and asking for the community’s help after an offensive note was found Monday morning.
The note, left in mathematics teacher Leslie Martin’s classroom, contained what the administration has referred to as “racial overtones”.
The note drew parallels between 17 year-old Florida student Trayvon Martin, who was killed in late February by a neighborhood watch member, and African American students and faculty members.
When brought to the attention of Principal Dee Lancaster, she contacted deputy superintendent Paul DeAngelis and a report was filed with the Birmingham Police Department. The Highlander has filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) with the police department, but has yet to receive any further information about the investigation.
Shortly afterward, an email sent to Seaholm’s faculty informed them of the incident. At 2:30 p.m. Lancaster made an announcement to the student body over the PA system with a similar message, along with a request for information that would be helpful to the investigation.
Lancaster also notified parents of Seaholm students by email shortly after the announcement. She said swiftly informing the community of the situation was key to resolving the incident.
“This way we’re going to get better information,” Lancaster said in an interview. “We’re going to get better leads, so people aren’t going to be speculating.”
According to Lancaster, it’s only a matter of time until the author of the note is found.
“You wait, and keep your ear to the ground,” Lancaster said. “Who it was will surface eventually. I’m confident that we’ll be able to find out who did it.”
