SALT LAKE CITY — The head of the Salt Lake branch of the NAACP said she never intended for it to become public that it's investigating an allegedly racist incident at Bingham High School.
Jeanetta Williams, president of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People Salt Lake Branch, told the Deseret News on Monday it was looking into parent complaints of racially insensitive incidents taking place in a political science class.
She said Wednesday, however, the reports weren't intended to become public at this time, and she wouldn't comment further on the matter until the inquiry is complete.
The civil rights group's investigation pertains to an Advanced Placement political science course in which a week is dedicated to teaching students about dictatorships and students roleplay accordingly. Williams said Monday a parent told her students were marching around the school, wearing armbands, chanting in German and making gestures as if saluting.
District spokesman Steve Dunham said the administration has not had any complaints from parents or students and that the claims haven't been verified by the district.
Williams called the district's superintendent on Wednesday, but no specifics of their conversation were released, according to Dunham. Prior to Wednesday, the school hadn't received any communication from the NAACP regarding the matter, he said.
Dunham said it's unfortunate the uncorroborated information has gotten out.
"We're disappointed that the story got out mostly before the facts were looked at," Dunham said. "It paints a difficult situation for a school, for a community and for a very, very good teacher."
The NAACP probe comes amid another investigation by the Canyons School District into incidents involving students using emblems of the Ku Klux Klan.
— Molly Farmer