Archbishop Pérez addresses racist video involving students from St. Hubert Catholic High School for Girls

Archbishop Nelson J. Pérez on Friday issued his first personal statement on the racist video that emerged Tuesday involving students from St. Hubert Catholic High School for Girls in Holmesburg.

“Racism is a vile evil. It has no place in our hearts, our lives, our Church, or our schools. Those responsible will face severe disciplinary consequences,” Pérez, who leads the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, said in a statement that was distributed earlier in the day to the school’s community, including students and family members.

“The recent actions of a few have ripped open deep wounds in your school and our community-at-large. I know in my heart that what recently took place does not represent who you are or what you stand for,” Pérez said.

“As we move forward, I urge all of you to embrace your individual and collective responsibility to stamp out racism in a manner that promotes peace, justice, and the call of Christ to live in the spirit of charity,” Pérez said.

The video that appeared on social media on Tuesday shows several white teen girls, with one spray-painting the face of another with a dark color and yelling “Know your roots!” and “It’s February!” and “You’re nothing but a slave.” The girl with the blackface then declares: “I’m Black and I’m proud!” Other girls present laugh throughout the video.

On Wednesday, the Archdiocese of Philadelphia said that two St. Hubert students allegedly responsible for the video “are not present in school and are being disciplined appropriately.” The archdiocese also said that one of the girls involved in the video is from a non-Catholic high school in Philadelphia.

The school on Wednesday switched to flexible instruction, with students completing coursework at home, after “reactionary general threats” were made, administrators said. The school also canceled extracurricular activities on campus for the remainder of the week.

Protesters at St. Hubert on Wednesday morning said the video wasn’t an outlier. At least two parents in attendance said their children, who were formerly enrolled in the school, faced a hostile and unwelcoming climate because they were Black. Both parents said they withdrew their children after the harassment became too much to bear.