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Watch: People Are Outraged This Seattle HS Made Only Black Students Sign a Pledge to Be Better

When keepin’ it 100 goes wrong.

Black students at Franklin High School were outraged when they were singled out to sign a pledge to “be better students.”

The Seattle school’s administration created a “Keepin’ It 100” covenant which asked “African-American scholars” to show up on time, complete high school and hold themselves to a high standard to meet and exceed expectations. 

Several Franklin students were outraged and humiliated when they received the document.

“We were upset because the whole 12th grade class got the paper but it was supposed to be for us,” Bazia Potts told Q13 Fox News. “I know I felt embarrassed and my peers felt embarrassed as well.”

Potts later told the Seattle news station that she was so angered by the document that she immediately threw it in the garbage.

The school eventually met with members of the senior class who voiced their contempt for the document and how they were singled out.

Additionally, parents in the community were outraged by the document the students received.

“It felt like these African-American students weren’t good enough, that they didn’t somehow make the mark. That part was hurtful because we all want to send a positive message to our students,” Neffertiti Thomas said to Q13.

The school district later released an official statement addressing the issue.

The Seattle Public School District statement read:

“Seattle Public Schools is committed to eliminating opportunity gaps and accelerating learning for each and every student. A student covenant was recently created by staff at Franklin High School.

After meeting with senior students, Franklin staff discontinued the covenant as it proved to be a distraction from their original intent which is to increase efforts and support for African American students and ensure college readiness.

In addition, a parent/community advisory group is under development to increase the school’s collective wisdom, inform their practices and build capacity to reach the goal of 100% of African American students college ready.”

As a result of the covenant, a divide between students and administration occurred at Franklin HS. Thus, Seattle public schools has vowed to create a special community advisory board to help close the opportunity gap. 

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