BUFFALO, NY - There are some disturbing pictures from a summer camp field trip run by Canisius High School. Several students are seen wearing white plastic bags, as if they were KKK hoods.
African American students who were on board that bus say they were made to feel very uncomfortable.
The pictures show one student in the middle of the screen, who appears to be smiling, and others in the back of the bus. Anthony Taylor, Jr., who is black, says he took these pictures on Friday. He and the other students are part of Canisius High School's High Achievement summer camp, which is open to only boys from around the area, who are going into eighth grade.
"I saw a bunch of Caucasian kids with white bags over their heads, they were chanting and yelling we're the KKK, they were saying it like so the teachers couldn't hear," Taylor said.
"It made me feel uncomfortable like I wasn't safe anymore," Taylor said when 2 On Your Side asked how it made him feel.
Ginger Geoffery, a spokesperson for Canisius High declined an on camera interview, but did say out of about 30 students on board, nearly a dozen were minorities.
REPORTER: Were they directing that to anyone in particular to yourself or any of your friends?
"No, I'm not sure, but they didn't do it to me, but I was pretty shocked," Taylor said.
Canisius says the students were returning to school from a field trip and that several white and at least a couple students of color wore the bags. The school says it's still investigating the motive. Anthony says teachers on board were slow to react.
"I think they noticed it but didn't do it immediately because I think they took it as a joke but then they started to address it after a long period of time," Taylor said.
Canisius disputes this, and says teachers and chaperones immediately told the students to stop and then school administrators were informed, who have since talked to the students involved. Anthony says he's not quitting camp.
"I'm going back because I'm not going to let that situation keep me from doing what I started from the whole summer, it's only three days left, and attend the graduation," Taylor said.
Canisius High says parents of those students involved are being contacted and that one student has offered to apologize in person to any student offended. The Taylor's say they appreciate that the students have been talked to by the school and hope their parents make it clear that this behavior is unacceptable. The school says it's still deciding what, if any, disciplinary action will be taken.
