Community Q&A

A video featuring racist slurs and behavior was recorded off school grounds and posted to social media.

This video was not an isolated incident; it was a tipping point that brought to light comments, experiences, and systemic challenges that have caused real harm and made students feel unsafe or unwelcome.

We know people want clear answers on consequences, but federal law (FERPA) strictly prohibits school districts from sharing individual student discipline records or punishments publicly.

Under New York State law, any disciplinary action has to follow our Code of Conduct and the facts of the investigation. 

• South Colonie Central School District hired The McLean Collective to work alongside district leadership, staff, and students. We will begin with restorative circles at the high school, helping students and staff address harm directly and find paths forward. A community forum will follow on November 18 at Colonie Central High School.
• At Colonie Central High School, we are implementing active bystander training, hosting student-led forums, and continuing direct discussions with student leaders who spoke at the Oct. 20 Board of Education meeting.
• Our middle schools are holding staff equity forums, reviewing instructional materials, and teaming up with local police on digital safety.
• At the elementary level, we are reinforcing lessons on empathy, inclusion, and digital citizenship.

We brought in The McLean Collective, an outside group specializing in organizational culture and restorative practices to work alongside district leadership, staff and students. Their contract goes before the Board on Nov. 10.

Over the next 90 days, they will work with us to facilitate small, structured circles at Colonie Central High School where students and staff can sit down bridge understanding, build mutual respect, and work towards a path of healing. A community forum will be held with them on November 18 at Colonie Central High School.

The McLean Collective partners with organizations to retain and grow their people and build cultures that hold through change. For more than 25 years, founder Kathleen McLean has worked across business, government, education, and the nonprofit sector, helping leaders create workplaces where people stay, grow, and do their best work.

In a recent federal appeals court decision—Leroy v. Livingston Manor Central School District— the court made two critical points that apply here:

• Schools do not own a student's speech 24 hours a day. Outside of school, students are under their parents' supervision, not the district's. While schools can and must intervene if off-campus speech crosses into targeted threats, bullying, or stalking, we cannot legally police bad judgment, offensive opinions, or crude behavior simply because it happened outside our walls.

• Punishment cannot be dictated by public anger. The court emphasized that a student cannot be punished solely because their words provoked a strong, angry reaction from classmates or the community. If schools could discipline off-campus speech whenever the reaction was loud enough, anyone expressing an unpopular or controversial view could be silenced by whoever objects most forcefully.

Our school Code of Conduct is reviewed annually and posted for a mandatory 30-day public comment and feedback period. 

We expect all students to treat one another with respect, follow the Code of Conduct, and make choices that contribute to a safe learning environment. We understand that students have strong feelings about this situation and should have opportunities to express their concerns appropriately. However, harassment, threats, intimidation, retaliation and racist behavior will not be tolerated.

All students have the right to express their views peacefully and respectfully, as long as that expression does not disrupt the school day or interfere with teaching and learning.

We encourage families to continue having conversations with their children about racism, respect, accountability and the impact our words and actions can have on others.These conversations are important, especially when students are seeing videos and reading comments on social media. Encourage your children to think critically about what they see online, avoid spreading information they cannot verify, and treat others with dignity, even when emotions are running high.

South Colonie’s Mental Health Team compiled this article: Supporting Your Student 

Students and families with firsthand information or concerns should contact school administration directly.

Complaints of harassment and discrimination can be reported here: DASA complaint form.