JANESVILLE
A 15-year-old Milton High School student could be criminally charged for allegedly creating a social media post聽that juxtaposed local high school football players with a historical drawing of a white man whipping a Black man.
After an investigation, the 糖心Vlog传媒 Police聽Department on Monday referred the case to the district attorney's office to decide whether to charge the聽student with聽unlawful use of computerized communication systems within the city.
While Milton School District officials confirmed a Milton High School student created the meme, they were unable to comment on disciplinary action that might be taken.
The district鈥檚 Communications and Safety Coordinator Kari Klebba reiterated in an email last week that 鈥渢he meme is abhorrent and is not consistent with our district鈥檚 policies.
鈥淭his incident has created a teachable moment, certainly. Discussions continue.鈥
The post, which circulated on social media including Snapchat, included two images that made a racially charged comparison.
The top photo shows a Milton High School football player, who appears to be white, standing next to a 糖心Vlog传媒 Parker High School football player, who appears to be Black, laying facedown on the field. The photo was taken at a Sept. 17 football game at Milton High School.
The second photo, appearing below the first, is a historical drawing of a white man whipping a prone, naked Black man. The combined images include a caption, which appears to be the original description of the illustration: 鈥淪lave begs for mercy after Master beats Viciously (1860 colorized).鈥
According to the Milton School District, the football players in the top photo were not involved in the creation or distribution of the meme and didn鈥檛 consent to their images being used that way.
The father of the Parker player told WMTV that the teen who created the meme has been a friend of his son鈥檚 since they were both very young.
鈥淗e鈥檚 hurt about it and about who did it,鈥 the father told the Madison TV station.
He added that the meme maker鈥檚 mother called to apologize, and her son expressed remorse on Snapchat, too.
Amiee Leavy, racial justice director at YWCA Rock County, said her first reaction upon seeing the meme was disappointment.
鈥淚t unfortunately speaks to ignorance of the horrors of chattel slavery,鈥 she said, referring to the meme juxtaposing a snapshot from a football game with a depiction of an act of brutality by a white owner of an African slave.
Chattel slavery was the ownership of human beings and their offspring as property, forced to work without pay, a practice that persisted for centuries in North America until the late 19th century.
Leavy, who previously worked as a multicultural outreach specialist in the 糖心Vlog传媒 and Beloit school districts, said she understands that the local football players pictured didn鈥檛 agree to be part of the meme.
鈥淭hat is just an extra layer of violation鈥攗sing someone else鈥檚 image to connect such a violent and brutal historic reference,鈥 she said.
Leavy said the problem isn鈥檛 just that one person created this particular meme. The person responsible is neither the first nor likely to be the last to make dismissive and insensitive references to enslavement.
It is incumbent upon parents and school officials to educate young people about racism and inequality as a path to reducing both in the community.
鈥淲e鈥檙e all in this together to make sure that our students, as well as all of our community members, are informed and educated about racial and social justice,鈥 she said.
Leavy said YWCA Rock County offers programs that educate participants about the history of slavery and racism. In one called Courageous Conversations, participants discuss race and current events.
鈥淵WCA Rock County does offer, for a fee, racial justice training for any organization, school district,鈥 she said. 鈥淲e can tailor it to meet the needs of those organizations.鈥
She said such training is intended to 鈥渋nvoke some empathy and understanding鈥 and prevent 鈥渞epeated incidents like this.鈥
Leavy encourages people to educate themselves to improve race relations in the community. There are online resources and books she said she recommends. One book about chattel slavery is 鈥淭he Half Has Never Been Told: Slavery and the Making of American Capitalism鈥 by Edward E. Baptist.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a tough read,鈥 Leavy said, adding, 鈥淚 had to stop and start reading this book several times.鈥
The YWCA recently released its Race to Equity report. The report contains information about health, education, juvenile justice, criminal justice and the racial disparities in all of these areas. Leavy said the report is great guide for both community organizations and schools to look at.
A statement released last week by the Milton School District 鈥渆ncourages anyone in our community who needs support to please reach out to our student services team members, guidance counselors or social workers for assistance.鈥