By Amber Ruch
POPLAR BLUFF, MO (KFVS) - The Poplar Bluff School District is investigating after a student dressed in a KKK costume as part of a study group presentation on Friday, Nov. 9.
Several viewers reached out to Heartland News questioning the reason for the costume after the picture surfaced on the internet.
According to a statement from the Poplar Bluff R-I School District, all of the students in the American History class were divided into study groups to make presentations focused on amendments to the Constitution.
Superintendent Scott Dill said the groups were in costume, representing different historical facets of the assigned amendments.
One group was assigned the 15th Amendment - “ensuring the rights of citizens to vote would not be denied or abridged by the United States on account of race or color. As part of the presentation, students discussed the adverse historical actions of certain organizations that actively engaged in the suppression of voter rights.”
The school district stated that at this time, they have no reason to believe the student was acting with any discriminatory intent.
“We, as a school district, are fully cognizant of the negative historical implication, and strong emotional response that this mode of dress may create.”
According to the school district’s statement, all aspects of the incident are being investigated.
They say they will take measures to ensure the schools are “providing age-appropriate, historical context, on these critical issues in a socially relevant and culturally responsible manner.”
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