By Katie Sittig-Boyd
Staff Writer

This previous Monday, students at Boston Latin School wore black during a silent protest of the current racial climate at one of Boston’s most prestigious exam schools.

Several months ago, students from BLS posted a YouTube video saying that the school ignored racial slurs directed at minority students.

Meggie Noel and Kylie Webster-Cazeau, both from the group Black Leaders Advocating for Change and Knowledge, urged their fellow students to share their personal experiences via social media using the hashtag #BlackAtBLS, which went viral.

“We are here today to make our voices heard, to show BLS administration and everyone that we refuse to be silenced, and we’re not afraid to speak up,” Noel stated in the video.

In response to a second video, released this past week, Boston Public Schools announced that it would investigate the claims made by these students with regard to race relations on the campus. Additionally, BPS also announced that it would provide trainings for school officials on how to address reports of racial bias.

City Councilor Tito Jackson expressed his solidarity with the students via Twitter, and Mayor Marty Walsh, who did not follow suit, received backlash following his lack of explicit support.

“Leadership isn’t about using Twitter. It’s about taking action,” Walsh wrote in an early-morning tweet earlier this week.

School leaders at BLS have responded to the recent student efforts and are slated to meet with students this upcoming Friday, Jan. 29, to address how to cultivate a better on-campus environment.