SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. — The mother of a Jackson Heights Middle School student who posted a video filled with racial slurs on TikTok is apologizing on her behalf and offering a warning to other parents.
The video shows several students pointing at the camera, with audio that repeatedly features a racial slur. The video, which was posted for about three hours before it was taken down, has caused concern for parents and students on campus.
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The mother said she was distraught and that her daughter made a mistake. She said the middle schooler wanted more followers on social media. She’d seen someone else post a video that got a lot of likes, and she thought she could do the same.
Now it’s something she deeply regrets.
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“I was hurt that my daughter had even posted something like that. I understand people’s feelings toward this,” the mother, who asked not to be identified, said.
“She made the wrong choice. ... If she would’ve realized social media followers is not important in life, she wouldn’t have done it.”
She said the video in question was only up for about three hours before she found out, made her delete it and accompanied her to school the following morning to tell administrators what happened.
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By that point, she said, everybody on campus knew what happened.
The mother said her daughter experienced harassment despite trying to apologize. And on her birthday, students shared her photo and called her a racist.
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The mother said it took until the situation unfolded for her to understand the magnitude of it, and said she hopes it can serve as a warning to others.
“It’s important for us to talk to our kids. Let them understand how dangerous social media can be. How hurtful it can be. Again, I can only apologize,” she said.
She said her daughter was not formally suspended but was sent home for two days.
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A school spokesperson said the district sent a message to parents letting them know the school is working with law enforcement to investigate what happened. They also said additional security will be on campus to make sure nothing happens between the students.
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