Mississippi High School: Noose Put Around My Neck, Black Student Reports

A black Mississippi high school junior varsity football player says he had a noose put around his neck by four or more white students during a break in practice on Oct. 13.

Stone High School has about 800 students, a quarter of which are black. The NAACP called for a federal hate crime investigation at a news conference Monday.

“No child should be walking down the hall or in a locker room and be accosted with a noose around their neck,” state NAACP President Derrick Johnson said at the news conference, The Associated Press reported. “This is 2016, not 1916. This is America. This is a place where children should go to school and feel safe in their environment.”

During the incident, the noose was allegedly yanked backward while on the student's neck. It wasn't clear whether the noose left any marks as a result. The student returned to football practice after the incident, the AP reported.

ESPN reported at least one student was let go from the team after the incident. Coach John Feaster reported the incident to the school's administration.

“I just want it understood, it could have been the biggest superstar and he would have been gone. I don't care who it is — if you do something like that, you can't be part of our team,” he said, ESPN reported. Feaster said only one student, not three or four, was involved.

Feaster, who is black, expressed dismay that something like this could happen in 2016. “I just pray we can get it together,” he said, according to ESPN.

The Mississippi high school's football team had its first winning season under a new coach this year.

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