A Reno, Nev. high school is under investigation for a group of students who allegedly dragged a black mannequin during a halftime parade.
The incident unfolded at halftime of a game between Reno rivals Damonte Ranch and McQueen. A photographer for Reno NBC affiliate KRNV captured a student dressed in a cowboy costume, riding Damonte Ranch’s mascot (which is a mustang) and dragging a black mannequin behind him by a rope.
An internal incident report from the school found that the offensive incident grew out of a well-meaning concept for a halftime float and may have been most dramatically impacted by the Damonte Ranch students’ inability to secure a gray or blue blow up mannequin.
Here’s more from our partners with the Reno Gazette Journal:
According to an incident report, one of the student groups built their float around the theme of the Reno Rodeo. Class advisers approved a plan to have a cowboy figure lassoing a knight figure representing McQueen, whose school colors are gray and blue.
According to the initial investigation, when a gray mannequin wasn’t available on Amazon, a black one was purchased.
When the mannequin didn’t stay on the float, it ended up being dragged behind the student dressed up as a horse.
Letters of apology have reportedly already been sent to McQueen administrators and the school board, and Washoe County School District interim Superintendent Kristen McNeill, who oversees Damonte Ranch, spent Monday apologizing at McQueen.
“This is not who we are,” McNeill said in an interview with the Reno Gazette Journal. “It doesn’t represent Damonte or our district.
“I get high school competition. This is not friendly competition in my strong opinion.”
