http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/blogpost/post/minnesota-school-system-sued-over-wangsta-day/2011/08/04/gIQATKCiuI_blog.html

Minnesota school system sued over ‘Wangsta Day’
By Sarah Anne Hughes

A Minnesota school system has been sued by a former student claiming its “Wangsta Days” were racially offensive and caused harm to her and others.

Quera Pruitt, a black student at Red Wing High School from 2008-2010, alleges that one of the 2009 “Dress Up Days” planned by the student council was designated “Wigger Day” or “Wangsta Day” by 60 to 70 students.

“Wigger” is a combination of the words “white” and the N-word. It’s a term used to describe a white person who emulates what they believe to be black culture. “Wangsta” has the same far-reaching meaning, but at Red Wing it also meant “Winger Gangta,” according to the suit.

Students allegedly wore “oversized sports jerseys, low-slung pants” and “‘doo rags’ on their heads” as costumes. Red Wing’s principal, Beth M. Borgen, was aware of the event and officials knew about similar occurrences at the school in years past, according to the suit.

In an official statement, Superintendent Karsten Anderson, who along with Borgen is named as a co-defendant, said the district “denies the allegations that it has created a racially hostile environment and looks forward to meeting these allegations in court.”

The school “has been and continues to be committed to providing an education to its students that is free from discrimination and harassment based upon race or otherwise.”

Pruitt and another black student gave an interview about “Wangsta Day” to TV station KARE about a month after it happened in 2009. It was characterized as a “prank” that “went too far” in the story.

Then-Superintendent Stan Slessor told KARE that he was disappointed by the students’ action, and that they were required to change clothes, though they weren’t punished. He said repeat offenders would be suspended.

A “Wigger Wednesday” Facebook group has been set up by someone purporting to be a graduate of the school, who believes “this whole thing has gotten blown out of proportion.” The wall of the group, which was open to the public until Thursday, became a hot bed for debate over the subject.

The incident caused Pruitt to suffer from [color="Red"]“extreme emotional distress” and depression, according to the suit, which led her to drop out of extracurriculars such as track. She’s asking for $75,000 in damages and legal fees.