'Great Sale of Slaves' Flyers With Racial Slurs Spark Texas Police Probe

A police investigation has been launched after racist "slave sale" flyers were left near schools in Texas.

The Aledo ISD Police launched an investigation after numerous "Great Sale of Slaves" flyers were left near Aledo High School and Middle School on Monday, according to Fox4.

In a message seen by Newsweek that was posted on Facebook, a concerned parent shared an image of the flyer that advertised the "sale" of "bucks" and "wenches" on Tuesday, April 20.

It appeared the flyer was a crude mock-up of an 1855 flyer that is easily searchable online and has been shared in Reddit groups as well as education websites.

Toni Lopez, who spoke with Fox4, said she filmed a video as she picked up flyers that had been scattered along the ground. She collected 50 before she threw them into a dumpster.

She added: "It looked like somebody had just thrown them out of their car and just let them land where they wanted to."

School district officials said they were concerned about the racist flyers and said they would work to make "students feel safe."

Superintendent Susan Bohn told Fox4: "This behavior does not reflect the values of our school district or our community.

"It does remind us that we have to work to do together to make sure that all of our students feel safe and valued on our campuses."

She later added: "We are reflective. We strive every day to be better than we were the day before in service to our children and each other. And this work is no different."

Newsweek has contacted Aledo High School and the Aledo ISD Police for comment.

The alarming incident happened after the school district announced last week it took disciplinary action against students who had started a slave trade Snapchat group, according to Fox4.

According to the station, Chris Johnson, 14, spoke about being targeted by the group during a discussion with the Aledo ISD School Board.

He said, with his parents to support him: "If you think this has affected your job, imagine how we have been impacted. The only apology I am accepting is changed behavior."

The incidents come after three teachers at Patrick Marsh Middle School in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, resigned after they asked sixth graders how they would punish slaves.

They had been placed on administrative leave after a parent complained about the assignment on February 1, the first day of Black History Month.