Video leads investigators to students shown in racist photo at Hidden Oaks Middle School

Editor's note: This article was modified from its original version to correct the name of the group Faith in Florida.

MARTIN COUNTY — School officials have used surveillance video at Hidden Oaks Middle School to confirm the authenticity of a racist photo that began circulating on social media Monday night.

The surveillance footage showed six male students posing for the photo on the school campus, district spokesperson Jennifer DeShazo said Wednesday. Each held a letter, spelling out the racist word. The students made the letters for an art project and were supposed to have picked the first letter of their first or last name, she said.

Although the students involved have been identified, their names will not be publicly released because of federal privacy law, DeShazo said. Any discipline also will be confidential, she said.

Racist photo: Six Florida students in racist photo being investigated by Martin County School District

Racist artwork at Florida middle school: What we know so far

The investigation, which is due to be completed Thursday, is being done internally, without assistance from the Sheriff's Office. The State Attorney's Office advised sheriff's officials that no crime appears to have been committed, sheriff's spokesperson Christine Christofek said.

Additional sheriff's patrols, in both marked an unmarked vehicles, are monitoring the Hidden Oaks campus out of an abundance of caution, Christofek said.

The incident has drawn outrage from community members, local officials and parents.

Dozens spoke out at Tuesday's School Board meeting.

Eula Clarke, the only Stuart city commissioner of color, and Jimmy Smith, president of the NAACP of Martin County, each called for the school district to resist recent state legislation, such as a law that limits how race can be taught in schools, and to hire more teachers of color.

“Let our Martin County School Board buck the system in Tallahassee… and be the example,” Clarke told the board. “Let us be the sunshine; let us be the beacon.”

Tony Anderson, the only Black School Board member, declined to address the specific incident, but told TCPalm Wednesday that a general disrespect from students has become an issue.

Moreover, politics has created a divide within the education landscape, he added.

“The problem is really not race,” Anderson said. “The problem is good versus evil.”

Alisia Harriel, Treasure Coast organizer of Faith in Florida — a multi-faith organization focused on social-justice and race issues — also addressed the School Board Tuesday, demanding the students involved be punished “to the full extent” of the Student Code of Conduct and issue apologies.

The organization also called on the school district to hire an inclusion-and-diversity officer and to create a committee that addresses similar issues.

“I feel fearful of any Black kids in the Martin County School District. If they don’t handle this situation appropriately and swiftly, what’s next to come is more danger and more hurt to Black people,” she said Wednesday.

Moreover, the issue of the racist photo caught the attention of Denver Broncos safety Justin Simmons on Twitter Tuesday. Simmons attended middle and high school in Martin County.

“This type of behavior is completely unacceptable. And if the school fails to act, it means this type of behavior is allowed,” he tweeted.

The school district replied online, stating that it has “zero-tolerance for hurtful or discriminatory messaging of any type.”

“We appreciate your and our community's patience as we conduct a comprehensive investigation that will allow us to move forward appropriately,” the school district tweeted.

Staff writer Mauricio La Plante contributed to this report.

Lina Ruiz is TCPalm's watchdog reporter for Martin County. You can reach her at lina.ruiz@tcpalm.com, on Twitter @Lina_Ruiz48 or at 321-501-3845

This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Martin County racial slur: Investigators ID students in racist photo