Photos of possible ‘white nationalism’ hand gestures delay release of suburban high school yearbook

Each spring, students eagerly await the arrival of the yearbook, but particularly so this year at Oak Park and River Forest High School — because the senior who designed its cover died just days ago in a car crash.

It appears the wait will continue for the latest edition of “Tabula,” after the school district’s top administrator notified parents, students and staff this week of the discovery of “several” photographs in which students are seen making hand gestures “associated with white nationalism.”

In an email sent out Thursday from Superintendent Joylynn Pruitt-Adams, the district acknowledged the gesture is sometimes used in the popular “circle game.” But “regardless of intent, the potential negative impact of this gesture has led us to decide that we cannot distribute the yearbook as is,” the email said. “We are looking at alternative options, and in the coming days we will share further details about distribution plans.”

The email comes just days after the Cubs organization handed out a lifetime ban for a fan who flashed the same hand gesture — an upside-down “OK” — behind an African American TV reporter during a live interview at Wrigley Field. Though the gesture has been used in different ways, Cubs officials decided the fan likely meant it in a “racist way.”

And it’s not the first time Oak Park and River Forest High School has had to confront potential racism on campus. Last November, racist graffiti was discovered twice in the space of a week. The graffiti included the words “white power,” two swastikas and a sentence that used the “N” word in connection with special education teacher Anthony Clark, who is African-American.

On Friday, Clark said he supports the administration’s decision to delay distributing the yearbook.

“I feel bad for all the kids who spent hours and hours putting this yearbook together, making it happen. I feel bad for those who are missing and mourning for Tom Hunt — who were looking forward to owning some of his work,” said Clark, who said he hasn’t seen this year’s yearbook.

Hunt, a senior graphic design student, died May 4 in a head-on car crash, when he tried to pass another vehicle, according to Oak Park police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

Added Clark, “But I also feel bad for the black, brown, Jewish, Muslim and LGBTQI-plus students who, throughout this year — due to some of the national and local issues — have felt under attack, have felt like they don’t belong.”

Shelly Jamison, a parent with a multi-racial daughter who is a senior, said she’s been monitoring posts from parents on various social media threads.

“There are people on both sides,” said Jamison, noting that some have said, “‘These people were playing a game. This had nothing to do with white supremacy.’”

But Jamison said she supports the administration’s decision to delay the book’s release.

“It’s a learning lesson for the children who helped create the yearbook — who spent countless hours [on it] — that things that are printed matter,” Jamison said.

For now, the 1,750 copies, which were delivered to the school May 15, are being held in “a secure location” on campus, according to a district email in response to questions from the Chicago Sun-Times.

The administration was “made aware of the photos” the day they were delivered, the email states.

The $45 books, most of which have already been purchased, were originally expected to be handed out next week.

“Yearbook faculty advisors are working together with the administration and the printer to determine the best method to replace the images,” according to the district’s email.

As for the students who made the gestures, the district said: “The investigation is still continuing. The administration has not yet spoken to the students involved. For legal reasons, we cannot speak to any consequences that students may face.”