Virginia Middle School student’s ‘diss track’ draws attention of district leaders, parents
BRISTOL, Va. (WJHL) — Bristol, Virginia Public Schools has deemed there’s “no threat to the community”, and a student at Virginia Middle School removed a YouTube video after one of their “diss tracks” was found to contain “violent imagery.”
A diss track is a rap song that aims to mock, embarrass or shame a person or multiple people with its lyrics. The Virginia Middle School student’s diss tracks posted on YouTube reportedly mentioned several staff members and students by name.
District Superintendent David Scott said the school learned of the diss tracks being posted online when one of them reportedly contained violent themes. Scott said the school system responded in a way that was both respectful to the student’s freedom of speech and other students’ safety.
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“When the would-be target(s) of that kind of speech are students, we have a responsibility to make sure that we are prepared to respond,” he said on Tuesday. “And again, it was a situation where we need to evaluate it from multiple angles.”
Scott said an investigation into the songs and student who created the diss tracks found no threat to the school or community. He added that since one of the diss tracks did contain more violent themes, additional law enforcement officers were stationed at the middle school Monday to keep a closer eye.
Scott provided the following email to News Channel 11, which was sent to the parents of students at the middle school:
The administration at Virginia Middle School has become aware of multiple songs on social media that are styled in the manner of “diss tracks,” which are intended to mock, embarrass, and discredit the people named in the song. The songs that have surfaced name VMS students and faculty members. These songs are highly inappropriate and will not be tolerated. School administrators and the members of the Bristol Police Department are reviewing the lyrics and may pursue charges related to cyberbullying. Additionally, as one song uses violent imagery, BVPS has requested the presence of an additional officer at the middle school tomorrow.
Scott ended by saying that while the school system cannot comment on any specific disciplinary actions taken against its students, the diss track containing violent themes was removed from YouTube by the student.
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