Several high school students are in hot water after donning an offensive message and posting the evidence on social media.
Parents began contacting Scripps affiliate ABC15 in Phoenix on Friday about a photo that was apparently taken by a group of students at Desert Vista High School and then posted on social media.
In the photo, six girls are seen grouped together smiling while "N-I-*-*-E-R" is spelled out in individual gold letters across their black shirts.
A separate picture from a Desert Vista parent on Instagram showed the girls' lettered shirts as part of a larger message spelling out "BEST*YOU'VE*EVER*SEEN*CLASS*OF*2016".
Jill Hanks, executive director of community relations for Tempe Union High School District, said in an emailed statement, "We are absolutely aware and outraged by this behavior. The students will be disciplined in accordance with district policy and while we don't discuss specific discipline I can tell you that will be addressing the obvious need for sensitivity training in this case."
DVTMI does not condone the actions and behaviors of these students today. You can share your positive thoughts and photos with us from today
— DVHS Thunder Media (@dvthundermedia) January 22, 2016
Note: We have edited the photos to blur the faces of the alleged students involved.