Springfield police investigate racial incident involving elementary school students

Principal says white students were forced to say ‘Black Lives Matter’ on playground.

Springfield police are investigating a report from Kenwood Elementary School that allegedly involved several students and a racial incident.

Officers were called to the school around 10 a.m. Monday about an incident that happened Friday during recess on the playground, according to the police report, which states assault and menacing as the potential offenses.

The school principal told officers that a group of Black students gathered several white students on a spot of the playground “and forced them to state, ‘Black Lives Matter,’ against their will,” the report stated.

The principal said a few of the students who tried to avoid the situation were “chased down and escorted, dragged or carried” back to the spot on the playground, and one student was punched in the head by one of the suspects, according to the report.

The group of students also reportedly recorded the students who were forced to make the statement.

At the time of the report, the principal said the school was still interviewing students who allegedly were involved in the incident.

Springfield City School District officials didn’t provide any additional information, citing the investigation by the Springfield Police Division.

“The Springfield City School District is committed to providing our students with a safe learning environment, where they look forward to attending every day. The district is aware of a situation that occurred at Kenwood Elementary. We are working closely with the Springfield Police Division on this matter to ensure that we maintain that safe environment,” the district stated.

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