Lincoln-Way East students walk out to denounce racism their classmates directed at Homewood-Flossmoor peers

Dozens of students walked out of Lincoln-Way East High School in south suburban Frankfort Wednesday morning in support of students at nearby Homewood-Flossmoor High School.

The Lincoln-Way East students were protesting after two incidents of racial harassment involving their school and H-F.

The first occurred Friday when Lincoln-Way East students were caught on video racially taunting H-F students at a football game in Flossmoor by mimicking monkeys.

Then on Saturday, H-F officials said a coach and members of Lincoln-Way East’s girls cross country team racially taunted the H-F team at a meet in west suburban Western Springs.

The events prompted Lincoln-Way East students to denounce what transpired and support their peers impacted by the acts.

The mood was somber and the halls were nearly empty at Lincoln-Way East ahead of the demonstration. But the students who remained said they were determined to make their voices heard.

“We want to let people know that Lincoln-Way East is not just a predominantly white school that’s full of racist people,” said 14-year-old Teniola Omokaye. “There’s a big demographic of Black people that go here and we actually stand for something.”

Student organizers planned the walkout to stand with Homewood-Flossmoor High School and send a message that the behavior does not represent the broader Lincoln-Way East student body.

Students, followed by faculty and staff, streamed out of the school chanting “Black lives matter” and “No place for racism,” as parents and community members cheered them on from across the street.

Lincoln-Way East acknowledged what happened at Friday’s football game and apologized. The Lincoln-Way School District, however, denied the allegations involving the girls cross-country team in a statement issued Tuesday afternoon.

In an earlier statement, H-F Supt. Jennifer Norrell and Principal Clinton Alexander said the school would consider legal options “to protect against this in the future.”

Students at Lincoln-Way East said they felt “embarrassed,” but not surprised, to learn that their classmates had been caught making the alleged comments.

Omokaye said she hadn’t experienced racism at school herself, but she knew other students had.

“It’s unfortunate that my peers have been targeted, and some of them even fear walking in the hallways,” said the first-year student.

Latoya, who asked that her last name not be published to protect her son, said he has been the target of racist comments from other students at the school.

She said the 16-year-old was targeted by upperclass students when he was a first-year student. They called him the “N-word” and threw food at him, she said. When Latoya alerted school officials, she said, they only moved her son’s seat away from the students accused of harassing him.

“The students making these comments are taught the behavior at home, but it’s the school’s responsibility to punish them when they are threatening the safety and learning of others,” Latoya, 50, said.

Officials at Lincoln-Way East and Homewood-Flossmoor could not immediately be reached for comment.