Angie Mason

amason@ydr.com

A peaceful protest grew outside the York County School of Technology Friday, intended to show support for students, following allegations of racially motivated incidents at the school related to the presidential election.

Community members and students gathered outside the school to show a support of unity with Tech students who felt targeted, while inside, teams of psychologists and administrators aimed to help quell any potential conflicts and give students a chance to air their concerns.

Earlier in the week, on the heels of the election of Donald Trump as president, a video circulated online showing students carrying a Trump sign and someone calling out "white power." Allegations of other incidents, such as students of color being spat on and called racial slurs, also surfaced. Some parents said they picked their children up early from school because of it.

'White power' video sparks school, police investigation

On Friday, a video posted online showing York Tech students, mostly dressed in black, gathered inside the school, airing frustrations about racism. At one point, a school official can be seen telling students the school believes in them, asking them to "work with us."

Rona Kaufmann, the superintendent of record for York Tech, said that students gathered inside the school Friday morning and administrator Scott Rogers "did an excellent job" of getting them to disperse and return to classes "with the promise of an opportunity to voice their concerns."

And that's what was happening, she said, through teams of psychologists visiting classrooms and listening to students. The school planned to have some safe rooms later in the day for any students who needed to meet individually.

Long term, Kaufmann said, the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission planned to help the school orchestrate a SPIRIT program, which would allow students to be involved in setting goals and working to improve the climate at the school.

"It's very calm here now," she said shortly before 11 a.m.

The human relations commission was one of a number of agencies either available or on site to help Friday, including the Pennsylvania Department of Education, its safe schools office, and its training and technical assistance arm, and the Lincoln Intermediate Unit 12.

York High students wear black to support York Tech

"Obviously, student health and safety is our top concern," said Nicole Reigelman, state education department spokeswoman. She said the school took the lead, but the department was working with it.

Gov. Tom Wolf issued a statement outlining those actions and saying, "What has occurred at York County School of Technology and other schools across Pennsylvania is overt racism, and my administration will do everything it can to end it and prevent it from happening in the future."

On Monday, the education department will convene a meeting with several agencies to prepare guidance for dealing with such incidents, he said.

"No child should feel unsafe in his or her school, and I will continue to provide any resources necessary to stop this type of behavior from happening," Wolf's statement says.

Peaceful protests outside

Autumn Wohlforth, an 18-year-old senior from Dallastown studying cosmetology, said that before Election Day, some students had made racially charged statements, but they were mostly subdued.

Wohlforth was among the 20 or so students who were protesting outside the school Friday afternoon.

"Since Election Day, it has gotten a lot worse," she said. "Since Trump was elected, they think they have the right to do things they should not be doing."

That includes slurs aimed at black and Latino students, spitting on them and, in some cases, groping female students. "They figure that Trump did it, so it's OK," Wohlforth said. "It's not OK."

Students held signs and waved to passing motorists. Some passersby honked their horns and waved back, expressing support. Students said some, though, yelled slurs at them.

Daniel Weir, an 18-year-old culinary arts student from Red Lion, said he joined the protest to show the community that "students matter and students should have a voice" in what's going on in their school.

"I just want change," he said.

Wohlforth said a lot of students have been afraid to go to school since Tuesday.

"That's not OK," she said. "Students shouldn't be scared to come to school. This is ridiculous. We need to take a stand."

Victorria Markle, a 14-year-old freshman from Spring Grove studying medical professions, said the slurs and threats have been escalating. "It's not something we should have to live with," she said.

Students were quick to point out that York Tech, which draws students from all over York County, is one of the most diverse schools in the county. In 2015-16, 17 percent of its students were Hispanic, almost 9 percent black, and 9 percent identified as multi-racial, according to data available from the state.

Students said it makes it more disheartening that some of their fellow students seem to be empowered by Trump's election to insult, threaten and assault others.

"We need to fight this," Wohlforth said, "and come together to fight against this."

The sad thing, to her, is: "It's not only our school where this is happening. It's happening everywhere."

Police circled outside the school throughout Friday morning as community members slowly gathered on the sidewalk outside.

Khaynen Alwine, 21, and Gabrielle Beattie, 19, said they heard about a possible protest through social media. Beattie is a former Tech student, and Alwine is a Central grad.

Alwine wanted to see people pulling together, despite differences over the presidential election.

"If you feel your president doesn't represent your voice, you should be speaking up louder than anybody," he said.

Ansoboie Marshall, 18 and a William Penn Senior High School graduate, briefly attended York Tech, she said, but left because of racial issues.

"I hope it just inspires people to recognize we are all the same," she said. "We're all people at the end of the day."

J.D. Heyward, 20, said he heard through social media what had been happening at York Tech and wanted to help peacefully spread a message that was scrawled on the sign he held.

"Make Tech Great Again," he said.

Mike Argento contributed to this story.

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