Some students in the Nyack School District were sent explicitly racist text messages, similar to messages sent to others around the country after Election Day on Tuesday. In a letter sent to parents yesterday, Interim Superintendent of Schools Lizzette Ruiz-Giovinazzi said the messages targeted Black and Brown middle and high school students. The texts state that they will, quote, “make students slaves, take them to plantations to pick cotton” or “they will be deported to Africa.” Ruiz-Giovinazzi said the messages did not originate locally, and have targeted people in other states, around the country, and have even targeted elementary school students. The Rockland County Sheriff’s office is investigating. Rockland BOCES and the Nyack NAACP are working on a county-wide response to counter “the hatred and uplift the students.” If you got similar messages, report them to the Attorney General’s Civil Rights Bureau by calling 1-800-771-7755. You can also file a complaint online.