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Six Southwick students charged for racist Snapchat conversation that included ‘mock slave auction,’ prosecutors say
A group of 8th grade students at Southwick Regional School are facing criminal charges for a conversation that allegedly included threats of violence and racist language.
Six juveniles are facing criminal charges for allegedly participating in “a hateful racist online chat that included heinous language, threats, and a mock slave auction,” Hampden District Attorney Anthony Gulluni announced in a press conference Thursday. The juveniles are all 13- or 14-year-old 8th graders at Southwick Regional School in Southwick.
One was charged with interfering with civil rights, threatening to commit a crime, and witness interference. Another was charged with interfering with civil rights and threatening to commit a crime. Four others were charged with threatening to commit a crime, Gulluni said.
Their identities are not being released. When asked if all the juveniles facing charges are white, Gulluni declined to answer.
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The incident has been roiling the small town outside of Springfield since it came to light last month. The Greater Springfield NAACP filed a complaint with state education officials about how the Southwick-Tolland-Granville Regional School District handled the situation.
“There is no question that the alleged behavior in this case of these six juveniles is vile, cruel, and contemptible. Seeing it, and facing the reality that these thoughts, that this ugliness, can exist within middle school students, here in this community, in 2024, is discouraging, unsettling, and deeply frustrating,” Gulluni said.
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The conversation in question occurred on Snapchat late on the evening of Feb. 8 and into the early morning hours of Feb. 9. It was created by 8th grade students from Southwick and it included multiple juveniles, some of whom came and went during the course of the chat. Several of those involved used slurs, spewed hateful and racist comments, shared derogatory pictures and videos, talked about violence towards people of color, and participated in a “mock slave auction” directed at two other juveniles that they know, Gulluni said.
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The existence of the group chat and some of the subject matter it contained was reported to school officials on Feb. 9. On Feb. 12, after school officials had reviewed that information, several students including all those facing charges now were suspended from Southwick Regional School as an “emergency removal per state law,” Gulluni said. On Feb. 15 and 16, several students were “formally” suspended by the district. Two were suspended for 25 days, and one was suspended for 45 days.
Detectives with the Massachusetts State Police were made aware of the allegations on Feb. 12, and were given related materials by Southwick Police. Gulluni said he personally became aware of the incident on Feb. 15. Gulluni’s office and the detectives assigned to it then took over the investigation.
Gulluni said he met personally with the victims and their families. He did not specify whether or not they have returned to school.
“Hatred and racism have no place in this community. Where this behavior becomes criminal, I will ensure that we act and act with swift resolve as we did here to uncover it and bring it to the light of justice,” he said.
Sad statistics
Gulluni cited statistics from the state that estimated 5.2 million students between the ages of 12 and 18 were bullied in the 2018-19 school year. About 25% of them were bullied because of their race, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, religion, or because they had a disability.
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Events like these can have long-lasting consequences.
“Empirical evidence, including from past events in this very region, show clearly that those who face discrimination, bullying, and harassment are more likely to face mental health issues. They are twice as likely to develop severe psychological distress, and there becomes a greater chance for the most tragic circumstances of self harm and suicide,” Gulluni said.
Gulluni’s office will take a “proactive” approach to preventing incidents like these. He announced three initiatives to do this.
First, Gulluni’s office will step up efforts to distribute informational materials about hate and bullying to the community. Second, it will partner with Attorney General Andrea Campbell’s office to create a program to specifically tackle bigotry, racism, and bullying in schools. Gulluni said he has been in touch with Campbell about these topics already. Third, Gulluni’s office will partner with State Police to educate school personnel and local police departments across western Massachusetts on hate crimes and bullying within schools.
Gulluni said that he has spoken to members of the local NAACP multiple times. President Bishop Talbert Swan II has said that this incident exposes a deeper pattern of racism in the district. Parents have moved out of the district after their children were bullied, he said, and teachers of color have drawn attention to discrimination they faced.
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Gulluni took time to speak about the dangers of social media. He suggested that parents monitor what apps their children use and enact boundaries around social media use.
“Absolutely the problem of bullying has worsened because of social media,” he said.
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