State College NAACP raising money for student involved in assault at high school
The State College chapter of the NAACP started a GoFundMe campaign Monday for a student involved in an assault last week at State College Area High School.
The campaign, which raised more than $1,900 within hours of its creation, aims to raise money to help the family of a 16-year-old Black student pay for legal fees after a Feb. 1 altercation. According to the GoFundMe, the student was criminally charged after a physical altercation with a white student who “circulated pictures with Nazi insignia and the N-word on his right arm.”
The Centre Daily Times could not immediately confirm what charges the student faces. Centre County District Attorney Bernie Cantorna declined to comment Monday. State College police were not immediately able to comment.
“Everyone involved is a juvenile so that is complicating things on release of information,” borough police Lt. Greg Brauser wrote in an email.
Centre County Probation and Parole Director Ryan Smeltzer, who leads the department that is responsible for all juvenile matters in the county, was unable to comment on any specific allegations.
The assault occurred Feb. 1 and was connected to a “racist and antisemitic photo,” Superintendent Bob O’Donnell wrote in a Monday update to the board of directors.
“The photo, which was taken in the school months ago, contained racist language and a symbol of hate and antisemitism,” wrote O’Donnell, adding that the district was unaware of the photo prior to the assault.
“In the coming days and weeks, our high school will prioritize facilitating conversations within the State High community to work toward further preventing acts of bias and hate and improving our school climate,” O’Donnell wrote.
The GoFundMe was organized on behalf of Jeanelle Mitchell, who was part of a 2018 mini-documentary about people who said they’ve dealt with racism and pushback within the State College Area School District. In the film, she described moving from Brooklyn, New York, to State College, where her children experienced bullying and discrimination.
“As a regular working parent in the community, without prominence ... we’re tired. I’m tired. I’m tired of repairing the damage that is done in school, a safe place, a place to educate,” she said during a panel discussion about the film.
An email sent Monday morning by Lorraine Taylor, president of the State College chapter of the NAACP, urged the public to show support for the student who has been charged.
“The impact of SCASD’s action against this 16-year-old Black youth will be disastrous for this young man,” Taylor wrote.
Both assault and any type of harassment, including ethnic intimidation or use of racial slurs, results in a minimum five day out-of-school suspension, O’Donnell wrote in a letter to high school parents last week.
The district has a board of directors meeting at 7 p.m. Monday night, which members of the NAACP will be attending, Taylor said.
This story was originally published February 7, 2022 at 5:12 PM.