Since the Nov. 8 presidential election, there have been a number of incidents targeting African-Americans and other minorities, and a disturbing number have been occurring in schools, including several in Eastern Pennsylvania.

While none has been documented officially in the Times News circulation area, there have been incidents that have been aired publicly in the Saucon Valley district in Northampton County and the Southern Lehigh district in Lehigh County.The latest got the attention of Northampton County District Attorney John Morganelli, who called a video made by a 14-year-old Saucon Valley student "highly offensive, repulsive and reprehensible." Morganelli said his office will investigate the incident further to determine whether he will bring charges.Shared on Snapchat, a social media platform, the video showed a 16-year-old African-American student during a chicken wings eating contest. The student who made the recording also narrated it using the N-word and made references to welfare, chicken-eating and other racial stereotypes, Morganelli charged. The DA said his investigation will determine whether the white student will be charged with racial intimidation or harassment. The incident led to a fight between the two students, with the 16-year-old African-American beating up the younger boy. He was charged as a juvenile with simple assault, harassment and disorderly conduct.Morganelli's investigation comes as districts across the state and nation investigate racial incidents, which some believe are a result of the contentious tone of the presidential campaign between President-elect Donald Trump and Democrat Hillary Clinton.During a "60 Minutes" interview last month, Trump looked into the camera and told supporters and others to stop their involvement in these racial and ethnic incidents, which have been occurring with increasing regularity both during the presidential campaign and afterward.Meanwhile, in the Southern Lehigh district, high school Principal Christine Siegfried told parents in an email that students have been yelling the N-word in the halls, calling some black studentsand lesbiansnames, and drawing swastikas on school property. The email also said that some students have been raising their arms in a "Heil, Hitler" salute. The district superintendent, Kathleen Evison, said fewer than a dozen students were involved and have been disciplined, although she declined to say how. Siegfried's email said racist and homophobic slurs have been used since school started in September.The disclosures led to a large turnout at a November school board meeting where some parents claimed that their children are being harassed or bullied. Evison said she has contacted the U.S. Justice Department, the Office of Civil Rights, the Anti-Defamation League and the state Human Relations Commission to help monitor the district's efforts in dealing with the incidents.In southeastern Pennsylvania, the North Penn and Coatesville districts are also investigating incidents. They stem from a Nov. 18 football game between the two schools. Reports say that the Coatesville cheerleaders were targeted with racial comments while walking across the North Penn side of the field in Lansdale.Two cheerleaders said they were called the N-word and "slaves." The Coatesville district filed complaints with the U.S. Department of Justice, the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission, the NAACP and the PIAA.The recent incidents across the commonwealth prompted Gov. Tom Wolf to issue a directive to schools on how to respond. "We need to fight racism and bigotry when it arises, and my administration will work actively with school districts and other public institutions to stand up to intolerance," Wolf said. "Our schools must be safe and open spaces where all children can learn and grow free of concerns for their physical, mental and emotional safety," he added.The Southern Poverty Law Center said that there were 867 cases of hateful harassment or intimidation in the U.S. in the 10 days after the election.We join people of good will everywhere in condemning these actions, which seem reminiscent of a long-ago dark period in our history. We thought we had made significant progress from these bad old days, but what we are seeing is a reminder that this behavior is not a vestige of the past but a wake-up call that we need to do much more in ensuring life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness for all of our citizens, regardless of their color, ethnicity, religious beliefs or sexual orientation.By Bruce Frassinelli |

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