Frustration over controversial photos shared by some North Central High School students has given way to action and discussion among students, administrators and community members.
The photos in question, which were shared to Snapchat on Oct. 5, showed NCHS students at a party posing with the Confederate flag. One of the photos showed the flag alongside the American flag with the caption “Confederate lives matter.”
NCHS senior Nicodemus Monts, 17, spotted the photos and shared them on Twitter and Facebook, admonishing his peers with the message “North Central High School this is not ok! … CHANGE HAS TO HAPPEN!”
Monts’ call to action was quickly answered as the posts continued to spread through the social networks.
DON’T SLEEP, a local group fighting against various forms of systemic oppression, issued the following statement on Oct. 7:
“Black Lives Matter is a movement specifically designed to highlight the extrajudicial killings of Black citizens by law enforcement officers nationwide. To parody the efforts of raising awareness to these atrocities or the numerous deaths associated with the phrase ‘Confederate lives matter’ is neither funny nor should it be tolerated. …
“Make no mistake, we will not remain silent or excuse imagery or actions supporting a culture and heritage of hate. Despite best efforts to convince the community to the contrary, it is not a joke; and North Central and Washington Township should not take this as a laughing matter.”
Monts, DON’T SLEEP and Monts’ pastor — Michael Drane of The House of Joy — collaborated to organize a silent protest at the school’s Oct. 7 football game.
Monts said about 15–20 people came to make signs and stand silently outside the game, kneeling during the playing of the national anthem.
“I was really proud of all the people who came out; it was a diverse group, and I really appreciated that,” he said. “I wanted to do it peacefully, so we stood there and held signs, and people were looking at us. We got people’s attention.”
Monts’ work continued the following Sunday when Drane invited him to help lead his sermon. Monts said the message focused on the history of the Confederate flag, the role of social media in race relations and empowering others to speak up.
“Just because you’re young doesn’t mean you go unheard,” Monts said.
Monts told the Recorder said he was hurt by the images and worried that they could spark more conflict at his school.
“I don’t understand what their intentions were with the photos,” he said. “I just want it to stop, because I don’t want people at school to have a race war.”
It was far from a race war when NCHS returned to classes on Oct. 10 following fall break. Though Monts said it was a bit “awkward,” the overall feel was more of curiosity than of tension.
Monts also said he received positive feedback from some teachers.
“Teachers congratulated me and told me they were proud of me for standing up for what I believed in,” he said. “It brought out conversation about what’s right and wrong … it was kind of a gateway to a conversation.”
The conversation continued in a meeting with Monts, NCHS Principal Evans Branigan III and Assistant Principal Tymika Payne.
“They were understanding of what I was doing, and they’re proud of me,” he said. “They’re encouraging me to not stop here and keep going and get active and let other people get active with me and bring awareness to this subject.”
Monts said he and the administrators discussed ways to keep the conversation going, including creating a Black Student Union at the school.
In speaking to NCHS Live, a school publication, Branigan said he thought it took courage for Monts to speak out the way he did, and he intends to use the incident as a teachable moment for all involved, especially the students who took the photo.
“My heart goes out to the kids. I think they just got caught up in a moment of youthful error,” he said. “I think this is really a teachable opportunity for all parties.”
“Images can hurt. Even if that was not your intent, even if that’s not who you are as an individual, that imagery hurts all of our population.”
Monts said it wasn’t his goal to get his peers in trouble, but rather to start a conversation. He said he’s pleased with the way the conversation has gone so far, but he wants to keep pushing ahead.
“I’m very satisfied about how the school responded, and I feel like I have been heard, but I’m not going to get comfortable where we are,” he said. “I’m going to keep pushing forward.
“I want generations to come to be able to learn from this and not just let it be a one-year thing.”
