Dozens of students walked out from Lincoln-Way East High School Wednesday.
They were protesting two alleged racist incidents blamed on some of their classmates and staff.
The student walkout came as the Illinois High School Association investigates reports of racist behavior and comments.
In a statement posted to social media, three cross country student athletes from Homewood-Flossmoor described overhearing the coach at Lincoln-Way East refer to them as "monkeys" before a meet on Saturday.
Video from the day before, on Friday, shows five Lincoln-Way East students making monkey gestures and sounds toward the Homewood-Flossmoor crowd. ABC7 Chicago has blurred the video because those involved are believed to be minors.
Lincoln-Way East issued an apology about Friday's incident, calling the behavior "egregious and intolerable."
The school said what happened on Saturday was innocent, saying in part, "Lincoln-Way East coaches merely recounted a well-known story about an area of the Lyons Township course referred to as 'the jungle.' The Lincoln-Way administration is confident that neither its staff nor student-athletes intended to harass, intimidate or offend any of their competitors or those competitors' families."
Ocean Myrick led the student walkout to take a stand against what she says is clear racism, in the hopes change will be on the horizon.
"They sit here and they claim, 'oh, they don't condone racism. They don't condone this.' But racism is one of the loudest things and biggest issues I've done seen in that hall in general," Myrick said. "I was even scared at one point to walk them hallways by myself. We will always have history that repeats itself. But all we could do is try."
Other students spoke out, too.
"It was just kind of anger at all those kids," freshman Caleb Thomas said Wednesday. "I've probably seen those kids multiple times in the hallway."
"We apologize for those students," Lyric Razor said. "That does not define what East is, and that is not who we are."
The school has not shared any details on disciplinary action against the students involved in the incidents.
"Once you get reprimanded, you know that isn't something that should continue to happen," parent Tamika Thomas said. "But I think it also takes education."
"The teachers need to be educating the students, and I think there needs to be some kind of programming for understanding racism for what it is," Homewood-Flossmoor resident Dan Greenberg said.
Not everyone agreed with the student walkout.
One parent said it was a "distraction" for students who remained inside the school and said classroom conversation is the best way to move forward.
The local branch of the NAACP is calling on both school communities to strengthen their efforts.
Lincoln-Way East Principal Toriano Griggs said in a letter to parents, "I want to follow up with our families regarding the incident that occurred during Friday night's football game against Homewood-Flossmoor.
"By now, many of you have seen videos, social media posts, or news reports about the incident. I have personally reviewed videos and spoken with students, families, and others who were there.
"I want to be very clear: the racial slurs, monkey noises, and racist gestures that occurred Friday night were hurtful and completely unacceptable. This behavior has no place at Lincoln-Way East or anywhere else.
"We have identified students involved and are continuing to address the incident through our established disciplinary process. Because these are individual student matters, we cannot publicly discuss specific consequences, but there will be accountability.
"Our responsibility, however, goes beyond discipline. We have heard from students, particularly some of our Black students, about the hurt, anger, embarrassment, and disappointment this incident has caused. We are listening to them and working to ensure they feel supported, respected, and valued at East.
"Today, we also addressed the incident directly with our student body. We reminded students that being a Griffin is about much more than wearing blue and white. It is about how we treat others, having the courage to speak up when something is wrong, and understanding the responsibility that comes with representing our school.
"I encourage you to talk with your student about what occurred and the role each of us plays in creating a school where every student feels respected and knows they belong.
"We are also aware of information circulating about a potential student walkout on Wednesday, September 9. While we will not prevent students from participating in a walkout, we will manage any student walkout or protest in accordance with procedures outlined in the student handbook and with appropriate safety precautions in place. Individuals who are not Lincoln-Way East students or authorized visitors will not be permitted on campus. Our priority will continue to be maintaining a safe and orderly environment for all students and staff.
"Friday night was deeply disappointing. What matters now is how we respond, what we learn, and what we do moving forward. Our actions must demonstrate the values we expect from the Lincoln-Way East community.
"Thank you for your continued partnership and support of our students."