My son falsely being called a racist

[Ruthyx1]

Hi there, my son aged 16, who is currently attending a Post 16 School was falsely accused of being racist by one of his computing teachers. He was accused of being racist last Friday because he had searched up "Harambe"(Which is a gorilla) while in his lesson, the teacher then looked at his computer screen seeing the gorilla, which is when she proceeded to send him out of the lesson to confront him about it. The computing teacher then accused my son almost instantly of being racist towards black people, in her own words she said "You shouldn't be looking at gorilla's when there's a black person in the room" My son then apologised but assured the teacher that the picture of the gorilla was not intended to cause any offence towards her she went on to say that she is going to email The (Head Of Computing) about the incident, she then told my son to go back into class and carry on with his work.(Just for reference my son is a White Male and the teacher is a Black Female)

The following Monday, My son was pulled out of his computing lesson as he had to have a meeting about the incident that had occurred the Friday prior. In the meeting he was interrogated by His Head Of Year 12
and the Assistant Head and was made out to be a racist, while telling [redacted] that as soon as they heard about the incident they instantly made the connection between the gorilla and being racist My son then began to cry in the meeting as he was devastated that a picture of a gorilla had been taken this far even after His head of year told myself and my son I know he isn't racist " but then confirms with Head Teacher that my son should be excluded from school for 1 day for racism missing a mock exam in the process. The head of year then also extended the meeting to [redacted's] place in the school saying that if she was in his place she would withdraw and go somewhere else, The head of year also added that my son is going to fail his exams. I was so shocked coming from a teacher when they're supposed to support and provide for our students, they're meant to motivate our students not to make them out to feel worthless.

This has severely effected my son aswe went to go see the GP approximately two weeks ago about him having depression, he was referred to C.A.M.H.S (Child And Adolescent Mental Health Services) and i have booked him an appointment to try and get some help, but this situation is making it much worse especially when they know the mental state he is currently in. I'm concerned as this false accusation of racism is put on to his permanent record as he was excluded due to the incident, which universities and future jobs will be able to see.
Advice please..

Identifying information edited by MNHQ

[NoBaggyPants]

In what context was he looking up the gorilla? Does he have any history of disruptive behaviour?

[Ruthyx1]

He was just messing around my son had no idea that it would be deemed as a racist image

[Ruthyx1]

No he is quite as an absence issue from having low mood but he has a multi cultural background of friendships

[BertrandRussell]

What have you got in writing?

[NeatFreakMama]

I'd be worried about his motivation for looking up a gorilla, I know you want to believe and protect your son but is it likely the teachers would acuse him of racism if there was no reason? Saying that the school need to help him move on now and do well in his exams.

[NoBaggyPants]

Just messing around doesn't explain why you'd look up a gorilla though. Is he studying something in another subject that made it relevant, had he seen a programme on gorillas and wanted to know more? Had someone else been using it in an offensive way and your son thought he'd join in?

I'd be asking the school for their version of events, as I'm guessing that it won't match what he has told you.

[Queenoftheashes]

Harambe is a meme ffs. He is a very specific gorilla with a tragic tale in his own right. Do the teachers not know who Harambe was?

[Ruthyx1]

The head of year teacher stated she knew it wasn't intended to be racist he is not that type of person very quite and shy in most aspects not street wise and never knew that would be deemed as racist

[MonstranceClock]

He was probably juts looking up Harambe memes. It was a huge viral thing and they seem to have resurfaced.
However, as a mixed race woman, if I had found a group of teenagers sniggering in the back of the class room over an image of a gorilla while I was teaching, I would also jump to conclusions, as sadly, this won't be the first or last time this has happened to that teacher.

[BertrandRussell]

So why is he being punished for a racist incident if that’s what the HoY said? Have you actually talked to anyone yourself?

[Queenoftheashes]

It’s about dying not racism

[NoBaggyPants]

Looking up the memes, many (but not all) of them are racist. The gorilla is used to depict a person of colour. So it also depends on what images he was looking at.

[Ruthyx1]

There was no words on the meme

[mcmen71]

sent you a pm

[Ruthyx1]

I am going there today, yes the head of year said to me yesterday that she knows he isn't but still they do this, I would think you would investigate and then decide if it was intended to cause offence or that of a misunderstanding.

[Smith888]

Omg please put in a written complaint to the governor's and have his file pulled out (they have to show you). Assuming he has been labelled a racist it will b won't here and you can also include a letter from him and yourself saying you object and explaining the situation from your point of view

[Smith888]

I would also include how the false accusation has effected his mental health. Try to get supporting evidence from his friends of multicultural backgrounds.