Aledo students disciplined after posts about ‘Slave Trade’ of Black classmates

Some Aledo high school students were disciplined after setting up a “Slave Trade” on social media where they pretended to auction off their Black classmates.

The students had a Snapchat group with multiple names, including “Slave Trade” and another that included a racial slur, according to the Star-Telegram. One person typed in the group that they would spend $1 on a peer, with another person offering $100 for someone else.

The school district learned about the incident involving Daniel Ninth Grade Campus students more than two weeks ago, according to an Aledo ISD statement released Monday. The district did not release any information about how many students were involved in the incident.

School officials determined that the incident involved students harassing classmates based on their race, which then led to a district investigation that included law enforcement. Administrators determined that racial harassment and cyberbullying had occurred, leading to the group of students being disciplined. District officials did not specify what discipline the students received.

Aledo officials said they talked with the students harassed, the student group and their parents about the incident and how targeting a student’s race is not only prohibited but has vast impacts on its victims.

“There is no room for racism or hatred in the Aledo ISD, period,” district officials said in a statement. “Using inappropriate, offensive and racially charged language and conduct is completely unacceptable and is prohibited by district policy.