August 24, 2021
Viral Video Shows White Students Abusing Black Baby Doll Named ‘Shaniqua’ at Football Game
A student game involving a Black doll baby is being criticized and raising concerns.
This comes after a video surfaced showing a group of White students at a California High School torturing a Black doll they named Shaniqua. The video was posted to an account called “Shaniqua.shs,” which shows a number of students from Salinas High School in Salinas, seemingly using racial slurs while holding the doll. The students abused the doll, stomped on it, ran over it with a fellow student’s car, and put the doll in various sexual positions, according to Newsweek.
The video was filmed by a student before a school football game that was set to take place at the school. After the video went viral, the Instagram account was made private and later and then deleted.
View this post on Instagram
Many parents angered by the video say they are not surprised by the controversy. In an interview with the local KION News Channel, one parent questioned why the teenagers felt “comfortable” enough to film and post the videos.
“These kids feel comfortable enough to do this on campus at a football game where there’s parents, where there’s staff members and other children,” said Mercedes, a parent of a Salinas High School student. “And, you’re going to tell me all of the staff being around and even parents, nobody saw this go on, nobody saw that there was something wrong with this,”
Following backlash, The Salinas Union High School District issued a statement on their website:
“The SUHSD does not condone this type of behavior and although the District has taken steps to support our African American students and staff, this recent incident demonstrates how much more support is needed,” the statement said. “We urge families to also take time to talk with their students about the damaging effects of racist behavior. Counseling is available at all of our school sites for any students who may need support.”
A protest is planned tonight at the school board meeting, according to Voices of Monterey Bay.