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Anthony LiVechhi, the principal of Oak Ridge High School in Conroe, Texas, was forced to apologize after he was caught on video complaining about the way Black students were dressed for a "90s Throwback Day."
The incident took place on September 30, according to students who said they witnessed LiVechhi walking around the school complaining about the way the students were dressed.
The video of LiVechhi's remarks was published by a local NBC affiliate.
In it, LiVechhi can be heard saying:
"It's embarrassing. It's frustrating."
"We have people posing for pictures looking like they're Dr. Dre from the '90s. I'm not sure that's the look we're going for.
"It doesn't make our school look good."
Students pushed back against LiVechhi's remarks.
According to Trinidad Robinson, a student who spoke to reporters:
"I run track. I have some records for the school, and when we were walking by, he said y'all look like criminals."
"I'm like, how is us dressing and expressing predominantly '90s and 2000s Black culture equated to being a criminal?"
Another student said LiVechhi's words were intended to "degrade the way we were dressing and degrade our school spirit."
Livecchi's statements also received a harsh rebuke online.
Oak Ridge Racist High School. Are you chumps going to fire Anthony LiVechhi? Or is Oak Ridge High School really that racist? #FireAnthonyLiVechhi— MotherFRoss (@MotherFRoss) 1633793048
Unfortunately it's many more principals like Anthony who share this same type of mentality towards their students. Damn shame.— N2theSwamp (@N2theSwamp) 1633784277
Meanwhile, I bet most of his school - including white kids listened to Dr. Dre growing up.— Shalisha Alston (@Shalisha Alston) 1633780958
imagine declaring a 90s throwback day as a school administrator but being disheartened and frustrated when your students show up dressed like Dr. Dre.pic.twitter.com/kusJWttaQK— Will Musto (@Will Musto) 1633772204
Screw every racist piece of garbage— This can not become a fascist country (@This can not become a fascist country) 1633454112
Yes! the anarchist punk group.\nI'm sure the Texas principal who said his students looked like criminals for dressing like Dre would've preferred Chumbawumba costumes.\nIt's almost like the 90s pop culture were grunge and hip-hop and punk and anarchy....only. \nWhat did he expect?— Will Musto (@Will Musto) 1633785007
Maybe he would have preferred the grunge look, you know the drugged out look.— Paula Lewis-Walker (@Paula Lewis-Walker) 1633709145
Just trying to figure out why he still employed as a Principal. He clearly lacks judgment. Texas Principal Calls Students Dressed for Throwback Day Criminals Who Look Like \u2018Dr. Dre from the \u201990s,\u2019 Issues Apology After Backlash: \u2018I Love You All\u2019https://news.yahoo.com/texas-principal-calls-students-dressed-123000531.html\u00a0\u2026— Dr. Andrea Carter (@Dr. Andrea Carter) 1633716319
This man needs to lose his job. Period.https://twitter.com/rhimesrhizzo/status/1446635926214430725\u00a0\u2026— MamaBear4x + 2 (@MamaBear4x + 2) 1633896554
LiVechhi's remarks sparked student protests, with about 100 students staging a sit-in. A local civil rights activist and parents also met with him.
After that meeting, LiVechhi issued an apology to the student body, telling them:
"I love you all. That's not how you need to be treated. It won't happen again."
LiVechhi's decision to compare his students to Dr. Dre proved to be surprisingly timely.
It took place on the same day the rapper, who found fame as a member of the gangsta rap group N.W.A., was announced as one of many acts to perform at next year's Super Bowl halftime show.