Racist Yearbook Caption Leads To Civil Rights Complaint In Hawaii

A lawyers’ group has filed a federal civil rights complaint over a high school yearbook caption below a picture of black students, saying the caption’s language is mocking and racially offensive.

The three students pictured in the Kalaheo High School yearbook photo were performing in a lip-sync competition, singing a love song.

But the caption reads: “I like pigs feet! I like hog mollz! Where da collard greens? Who got do chintlinz?”

The African-American Lawyer’s Association of Hawaii filed a complaint last week with the U.S. Department of Education.

The students’ families say they will seek unspecified monetary compensation from the state, but have not yet sued.

Acting Principal Glenn Nakamoto on Friday called the caption “an inadvertent type of thing.” He apologized to the parents in a June 4 letter for what he said was a careless mistake. Neither the faculty adviser nor the student yearbook staff will be punished, he said.