Cartersville High cheerleaders shocked by vandalism, racial slur

CARTERSVILLE, Ga. - Cheerleaders and their families at Cartersville High School are reeling after discovering obscene graffiti and a racial slur in the school. The incident, which occurred Tuesday afternoon, has prompted outrage and questions about how such a violation could take place.

Peggy Carter, whose granddaughter is a freshman cheerleader, described the ordeal as a heartbreaking start to high school. "My granddaughter is a freshman, what a way to spend your freshman year being interrupted by a hate crime," Carter said.

The varsity cheerleaders were preparing for an away game when they encountered the vandalism. Photos of the incident, which quickly spread on social media, showed their uniforms doused with mustard and creamer. A refrigerator in the cheerleaders’ area was also defaced with obscene drawings of male genitalia and a racial slur.

"She was like, ‘That just made me mad.’ She was like, ‘I want to know who did this. Why would somebody want to bother us?’" said one cheerleader’s mother.

Photos showing uniforms doused with mustard and creamer and an obscene drawing made the rounds on social media after the break-in at Cartersville High School on Dec. 10, 2024. (Supplied)

Carterville High School vandalism

School administrators acted swiftly, launching an investigation in coordination with the Cartersville Police Department. "We’re watching videos, we’re looking at pictures," Assistant Superintendent Andre Weaver said. "Within 24 hours of us being notified of the incident, we were, along with the police, able to have a person. That person was arrested and in custody."

Authorities confirmed that the suspect is a juvenile who is not a Cartersville High School student.

Cheerleaders’ parents concerned

Despite the quick arrest, some parents expressed frustration with how the school handled communication. "It’s just the point of how long it took for it to get for the parents to get contact," said one mother. "A parent is the one that has to deal with the trauma that your child receives."

On Thursday morning, following the arrest, school administrators held a meeting with the cheerleaders and their parents to address concerns. Many asked what measures would be implemented to prevent future incidents. "What can they do to prevent this from happening again?" Carter questioned.

The investigation remains ongoing as school officials and police work to determine how the juvenile gained access to the school.