Racially offensive Florida prom invitation stirs backlash

A Florida high school student stirred a backlash when he held up a sign with a racially offensive message to invite his girlfriend to the prom.

The 18-year-old Riverview High School student’s sign read: “If I was black, I’d be picking cotton, but I’m white, so I’m picking u 4 prom.”

After a photo of the sign was posted on Snapchat and shared across social media, school officials say they’re investigating.

Sarasota school district spokeswoman Tracey Beeker says administrators have spoken to the student and his parents.

In a robocall to Riverview parents, acting principal Kathy Wilks said the school does not “condone or support” the student’s message.

An NAACP official encouraged school administrators to issue a district-wide response making it clear that the sign was inappropriate.