New Hampshire high school students have been captured in a video singing an outstandingly racist rendition of “Jingle Bells.” Just how bad are we talking? Buzzfeed News reports that the song is about the KKK. In case there’ s any doubt, they literally sing, “KKK, KKK, let’s kill all the blacks” to the “Jingle Bells” tune.
Two students are recorded singing, while a number of students around them laugh. The video first circulated in their local community; it has since gone viral. John Carver, their teacher, has been placed on paid leave, according to Superintendent William Harbron. Harbron wrote a letter to the local community, in which he attempted to explain how the song came to be sung.
The song was ”part of a classroom assignment dealing with [the R]econstruction period in American history,” Harbron wrote. He continued:
“We are deeply concerned that an event such as this could occur and understand the emotion and concern that this event will create for our students, families and staff. Administration from Dover High School and the District are working with students and the school community to respond immediately and effectively to this insensitivity.”
How will the students be disciplined? ”At this point in time, we don’t know enough,” Harbron told Buzzfeed. “We need to delve deeper to fully understand the purpose of the assignment and what guidance was given to students.” Meaning there is at least a possibility that students won’t be punished at all for singing “Kill all the blacks.” Assignment or not, it’s worth remembering that these students are high schoolers. It’s reasonable to expect that teenagers would know better. The racial insensitivity—if not outright violence—of the language in their song is beyond disturbing.
The incredibly poor judgment of the teacher, of course, speaks for itself.
The incident also rings back to the viral picture of a group of high school boys appearing to give a Nazi salute in a picture taken last spring during their prom. As of now, those students will similarly receive no punishment.