Opinion ID: 1442370
Heading Depth: 5
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Racist Graffiti and Hit Lists

Text: In the spring of 2005, the school experienced multiple incidents of racist graffiti and graffiti containing hit lists with students' names. On March 23, 2005, School Resource Officer and Deputy Sheriff Joe Crisp investigated graffiti in the girls' restroom after an Assistant Principal at the school contacted him. J.A. at 183 (Crisp Aff. at ¶ 2). He did not take pictures because the custodians had painted over the graffiti before he arrived; however, he filed an incident report with the Sheriff's Office. J.A. at 183 (Crisp Aff. at ¶ 2). According to his report, the Assistant Principal told him that the phrase all niggers must die was accompanied by a list with future victims' names. J.A. at 188 (Incident Report). Another incident involving racist graffiti occurred on April 1, 2005; the principal of the school contacted Crisp to ask him to investigate racial remarks on a restroom stall. J.A. at 183 (Crisp Aff. at ¶ 3). Crisp took pictures, J.A. at 377-384 (Photographs), and filed an incident report. J.A. at 183 (Crisp Aff. at ¶ 3); J.A. at 191 (Incident Report). Four days later, on April 5, 2005, Crisp took photographs of graffiti in a boys' restroom, J.A. at 202; the graffiti stated: All niggers will still die on 4-13-05[.] It's time for a new revolution[.] KKK. J.A. at 184 (Crisp Aff. at ¶ 4); J.A. at 386 (Crisp Aff. Ex. 4). Deputy Sheriff Andy Waters took photographs of the graffiti in a boys restroom in the vocational wing of the school. J.A. at 392-411 (Photographs); J.A. at 206 (Investigative Report). The graffiti included the scrawled statements: The South Will Rise Again, J.A. at 398-99 (Waters Aff. Ex. 2), and Niggers `Hang em,' written above a drawing of a noose next to the Confederate flag. J.A. at 404-09 (Waters Aff. Ex. 2). The graffiti included a hit list with students' names. J.A. at 113-14 (Hord Dep. at 25-31); J.A. at 367 (Crisp Aff. at ¶ 2); J.A. at 369-72 (Crisp Aff. Ex. 1). Hord testified that he was not certain whether all the names on the list were those of minority students. J.A. at 114 (Hord Dep. at 29). Deputy Sheriff David Henderson stated in his report that the graffiti threatened rednecks as well as African-Americans. J.A. at 231 (Henderson Report). Plaintiff-Appellant Barr testified that the list was on paper and was shown to various students. J.A. at 238 (Barr Dep. at 11:19-24). Barr testified that it wasn't just Caucasian kids doing it. J.A. at 238 (Barr Dep. at 11:7-8). He testified that he knew a lot of the people on the list, some Caucasian and some African-American. J.A. at 239 (Barr Dep. at 12:2-7).