An old tree dubbed "white tree", only white students gather under;
black students (10% at school) gather near stadium or gym;
a new student asked the principal if he, as a black student, could also stay under the old tree, he was told, "you can stay anywhere you want" one day in September 2006;
the next day, three nooses were hung under the old "white" tree;
three white boys were punished by in-school suspension;
some black parents met to discuss and believed this should be charged as hate-crime; some parents approached the school board to voice their concerns but was told the case was settled, it was just a silly joke, a prank;
some black students sat under the tree for a protest;
the local district attorney came to make the famour "I can make your life disappear with my pen" speech;
racial tension heightened--many fights broke out, school was partially burned;
one white boy was beaten by six black boys, the six boys were charged by district attorney as second-degree murder and conspiracy to attempt second-degree murder, and they were tried as adults, if convicted they will face up to 50 years in prison.
The reaction nationwide:
see photos--
btw, there is no more that "white" tree, it was cut down.