Berkeley High School

Berkeley High School Recalls Yearbook After “Racist” Message

Berkeley High School officials are investigating what is being called racist remarks in the campus yearbook.

Senior student Robael Gizachew said a page in the new yearbook is offensive. A text describing the Academy of Medicine and Public Service, or AMPS program, replaced the word "innovators" with "trash collators."

"I believe it's racist because they don't expect highly of us," Gizachew said.

Gizachew and his friends said racism is common campus. Students told school staff about the insult on Tuesday, which prompted administrators to recall the yearbooks.

"We've collected most of them back," said Mark Coplan of the Berkeley Unified School District. "We're putting a sticker over with the correct text."

School staff are trying to figure out why changed the words after yearbook was approved for print.

Students said the yearbook incident is a sad way to end the school year.

The district said students will get their yearbooks back next week. School officials said if they are able to pin down who made the change that person will be punished.

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