The chat was allegedly created by a group of 8th-grade students and involved some of the juveniles expressing “hateful and racist comments" and a mock slave auction.

The chat was allegedly created by a group of 8th-grade students and involved some of the juveniles expressing “hateful and racist comments" and a mock slave auction.

Six juveniles in Massachusetts were charged in a racial online bullying incident that involved “heinous” language, threats of “violence toward people of color” and a mock slave auction, the district attorney for Hampden County said.

Students from Southwick, about 104 miles southwest of Boston, allegedly participated in a “hateful, racist online” Snapchat discussion between Feb. 8 and Feb. 9, Hampden District Attorney Anthony Gulluni said in a statement on Facebook.

Gulluni said he became aware of the incident on Feb. 15 and immediately called on the Massachusetts State Police Detective Unit to investigate.

On Thursday, at the conclusion of the investigation, the district attorney authorized members of the Detective Unit and the Chief of the Juvenile Court Unit to pursue criminal charges against the juveniles.

  • LibertyLizard@slrpnk.net
    284·
    8 months ago

    As disgusting as this event was, I’m not sure pressing charges against 8th graders is good practice. These are kids, they need education, not the criminal justice system.

    Ironically, this is the same practice that has caused incredible harm to students of color. But not all equality is equally good.

      • LibertyLizard@slrpnk.net
        111·
        8 months ago

        It’s a tough issue because I’ve also seen similar behavior defended as “it’s just kids being kids” to dismiss the seriousness of what happened and deflect from any corrective actions. This is not healthy or harmless behavior for kids to be engaging in and it does need to be addressed. I just don’t think the courts are the best tool for the job.

        Unfortunately, our society has largely failed to develop any rehabilitative or restorative forms of justice and so we often get stuck between doing nothing or turning to state violence. Neither of which is going to make the situation better.

      • JoBo@feddit.uk
        133·
        8 months ago

        How is it ruining their lives? They haven’t even been tried yet, let alone sentenced.

        These are the kids who will turn into the adults that will ruin, and end, many lives. Early intervention is the best option.

        Not that the US criminal justice system is good at this kind of thing but … they’re white, middle-class kids. The chance of them getting a custodial is way, way lower than if one of them accused a Black kid of, say, stealing their rucksack.

        • JustUseMint@lemmy.world
          81·
          8 months ago

          Because our legal system is awful and not at all focused on rehabilitation, it’s all punishment and making minor offenders into life long felons. You’re acting like this is unheard of

        • helenslunch@feddit.nl
          62·
          8 months ago

          How is it ruining their lives? They haven’t even been tried yet, let alone sentenced.

          And…you think that’s not going to happen? You know something we don’t?

          • JoBo@feddit.uk
            53·
            8 months ago

            It does seem vanishingly unlikely, yes. For all the reasons already given.

            Certainly too soon to be demanding they be let off with a pat on the head.

            • yetAnotherUser@feddit.de
              42·
              8 months ago

              They have been suspended from school without a trial, for a crime which didn’t happen at school.

              I’m sure the retaliation-only US justice system will work wonders, can’t have the private prison industry lose money after all.

              • JoBo@feddit.uk
                31·
                8 months ago

                Oh no, suspended for bullying. So cruel, making them face the consequences of their actions. You should go on hunger strike or something, to highlight the plight of these poor little angels.

                • yetAnotherUser@feddit.de
                  12·
                  8 months ago

                  You’re arguing in bad faith and putting words in my mouth

                  Suspending students from school for weeks, while protecting the victims temporarily from contact, has the side effect of withholding education from children. Surely they won’t miss anything important while suspended for 4-8 weeks, it’s not like education (or rather the lack thereof) and crime has a strong correlation.

                  Any justice system should have these priorities:

                  1. Protecting current victim(s)
                  2. Preventing future victimizations.
                  3. Rehabilitating the perpetrator(s)

                  The U.S. justice system sole priority is bloodlust. That’s part of the reason police brutality goes largely ignored: it only affects “criminals” and they deserve it anyway.

                  Now: how does the “tough on crime” attitude of the prosecution as reflected in the article protect current or future victims for more than a few months?

    • tym@lemmy.world
      2·
      8 months ago

      Massachusetts is very puritan to this day. This punishment makes sense when you consider the state it happened in.

    • steakmeoutt@sh.itjust.works
      48·
      8 months ago

      I’m afraid you don’t understand what’s happening here. Pressing charges is what leads to actual budgeting to develop and engage education to improve the situation for everyone involved, including the perpetrators.