Collingswood High School students under investigation for harassment, intimidation, bullying incident

A group of students at Collingswood High School are being investigated for possible charges of harassment, intimidation, and bullying, according to school officials and police.

The group allegedly organized a White Student Union, according to a report by NJ Pen, which quoted Superintendent Fred McDowell as saying the situation “evolved into something that is more characteristic of a hate group than anything else,” and the students made racial slurs and threats of physical violence.

McDowell did not respond directly to telephone and email messages from The Inquirer. Through a spokesperson, he confirmed that seven to nine students were under investigation for a possible harassment, intimidation, and bullying, or HIB incident. He would not confirm that the students formed a White Student Union, instead saying in an email to parents they were “a non-sanctioned group of students who allegedly engaged in unacceptable actions.”

In a message to parents Friday, Collingswood High principal Douglas Newman said the incident occurred a few weeks ago, prior to spring break. Citing privacy rules, he did not comment specifically on the allegations.

“We were informed of the existence of this group of students, and that several unacceptable actions were connected to the group,” Newman wrote. Any student found to have violated the district’s code of conduct or the HIB policy will face disciplinary action, he said.

Newman said the matter is under investigation by police and the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office.

Collingswood Police Chief Kevin J. Carey said the investigation was “active and ongoing” and declined further comment. A spokeswoman for the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office also declined comment.

A spokeswoman for the office of New Jersey Attorney General Matt Platkin declined comment on whether an investigation has been launched by the Office of Civil Rights.

“There is no place for race-based bias and harassment in New Jersey, including in our schools,” the spokeswoman said in a statement Monday.

Mayor Jim Maley added in a statement Tuesday: “Let me emphasize racism and bigotry are unequivocally unacceptable and not welcome here.”

» READ MORE: N.J. bias incidents at highest level in 30 years, especially in schools and colleges. Here’s what to know from a new report.

Collingswood High, which enrolls 2,233 students, is 59.8% white, 21.3% Hispanic, 10.8% Black, and 2.2% Asian, according to its latest New Jersey School Performance Report. For the 2022-2023 school year, the district reported 34 incidents of violence, and investigated 14 HIB incidents. The district confirmed that four HIB cases were based on race, and three on gender.

Bias incidents in New Jersey have increased for the seventh straight year, with an alarming rise in incidents at public schools and colleges, according to a report released last month by Platkin. Most frequently targeted were Black people, the Jewish community, and the Hispanic or Latinx community, the report said.

The state defines bias incidents as suspected or confirmed acts of bias intimidation motivated by a victim’s perceived or actual race, color, ethnicity, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, disability, gender, gender identity, or gender expression.

The Camden County chapter of the NAACP was looking into the latest Collingswood High incident.

In recent years, Collingswood High has been rocked by turmoil and allegations of racism. A Black Lives Matter rally in 2023 was joined by students who walked out of school for two days in response to incidents that students said had racial overtones.

» READ MORE: Collingswood High students walk out for a second day of protest over allegations of racism

Administrators McDowell and Newman, who are both Black, said they were troubled by the latest alleged bias incident. The superintendent said more work is needed for social justice and equity, and that as part of its strategic plan, the district remains “deeply committed to dismantling racism in all forms.”

“This incident does not define who we are as a school,” Newman wrote. “Hatred, racism, intolerant behavior are not aligned to the values we hold dear at Collingswood High.”