Students under fire for dressing up as Mexicans for school's 'Extra-Terrestrial Day'

Erin Donnelly
·Editor
Updated

Florida school district officials are speaking out after two students wore culturally offensive costumes for the school’s “Extra-Terrestrial Day” theme.

As Spectrum Bay News 9 reports, Seminole High School in Seminole,, Fla. invited students to come to class dressed as aliens last Thursday. Two male students, however, decided to go as so-called “illegal aliens,” decking themselves out with sombreros and fake mustaches in a parody of Mexican dress.

Though officials at the school confiscated the boys’ controversial accessories, they were not sent home for the day. A school district declined to comment on whether the students were punished for the stunt, but did blast their “poor judgment.”

"Unfortunately, two students exercised poor judgment and wore an outfit that was offensive," Pinellas Schools spokeswoman Lisa Wolf-Chason said in a statement to the news outlet. "Cultural insensitivity is not tolerated at Seminole High School.

“The choices of these students were disappointing and are not reflective of the Seminole High community," she added. "Pinellas County Schools will follow the Student Code of Conduct to address this issue."

The students seemed proud of their costumes, posting a photo and asking, “Was it wrong of us to dress as Mexicans for Extra-Terrestrial/Alien Day?” The options are “Yes, you are dumb” and “No, that’s funny.”

Many locals, however, aren’t laughing.

"I'm not allowed to wear holes in my jeans or leggings to school, but kids are allowed to dress completely racist?" student Madeline Harnisher complained to Bay News 9. "It just amazes me how messed up our school is."

But some say those who are offended need to lighten up.

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