North Carolina public high school taunts private Catholic high school for ‘privilege’

To set the stage — "Sniff, Sniff. You smell that? $Privilege$" is what Butler High School had to say as a taunt towards Charlotte Catholic High School at last Friday’s football game.

"It was an apparent nod to the fact that Charlotte Catholic is a private school that plays in the predominantly public N.C. High School Athletic Association," wrote The Charlotte Observer.

According to the local WBTV station it was held up by local cheerleaders. The Butler football team ran through it at the start of the match.

Charlotte Mecklenburg School District (CMS) admitted the comment was "insensitive" and the people responsible for the sign will be punished for it.

They sent this statement to the local outlet.

"CMS is aware of an insensitive banner displayed by the Butler HS cheerleading squad prior to the school’s football game versus Charlotte Catholic last Friday. Squad members and adults responsible for oversight will face consequences as a result of that banner display. School and district officials will offer no specific information about this disciplinary matter. Principal Golden and Learning Community Superintendent Tangela Williams have spoken with leaders from Charlotte Catholic to offer verbal apologies. Butler High School cheerleaders have sent an apology letter to counterparts at Charlotte Catholic."

One parent was shocked that children were saying this to one another. Melissa Swanson has a biracial son, and the kid told his mom "don’t they see we have other black boys on our team?"

From all the reporting done on this story, it sounds like both sides are working to make amends over the incident.