New York teens filmed themselves chanting a racial slur, and about 70 classmates reportedly walked out over how the school punished them

A video of Colonie Central High School students laughing and repeating the n-word has sparked a dispute over discipline in the South Colonie Central School District in Albany, New York. About 70 students reportedly walked out of class to protest how administrators handled the classmates in the video, according to The Nerd Stash. However, the district has since said no alleged organized walkout took place.

The video appears to show a group of students laughing and repeating the slur multiple times while one student holds the camera. Nobody in the room appears to try to stop the behavior. The video spread quickly on TikTok, where users started calling for the school to take action.

TikTok user @cj_thealchemist shared the video and claimed the school failed to address the behavior properly. He alleged that one student only got a one-game suspension from the soccer team, while another reportedly received a single day of school suspension. He also claimed other students involved were sent home without any real punishment.

Some students feel the school punished the protesters harder than the kids in the video

Students claimed they were unhappy with the punishment given to the classmates in the video, as many felt the school went too easy on them. Some participants argued the consequences looked tiny compared to how the school treated those who spoke out. The same TikTok user alleged that one student received three days of detention for protesting.

Another student was reportedly suspended for five days after posting a video that said “bye racist.” The TikTok user also claimed that seven students who took part in the walkout faced suspension. He argued that the school administration does not care about racism and wants to “sweep this under the rug.”

The user also claimed the school sent an email that focused more on the protest’s disruption than on the slur itself. A Colonie Central High School student told the outlet that administrators told him to stop recording the walkout and not to share it.

Superintendent David Perry addressed the situation in a message to parents before the reported walkout. He told families that “racism will never be tolerated” in the district, and he said several students had already been disciplined for violating the Code of Conduct. The district also said the video was recorded off school grounds.

The district has not shared the specific punishments for any individual students, citing privacy. However, it has pushed back on the scale of the student protest. In a community Q&A, the district said rumors of a walkout circulated but no organized walkout happened, and it called media reports of 70 students walking out incorrect.

That leaves a gap between what students describe and what school officials say took place. The district claims it is still investigating, as these situations take time to handle properly. However, it may face continued pressure, as students and parents have demanded that the minors in the video be held accountable.