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High School Confiscates Yearbooks After Deeming 'Build That Wall' Senior Quote 'Inappropriate'

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May 12, 2017

A North Carolina high school has confiscated pre-ordered yearbooks after school officials and district administrators deemed a student's "build that wall" senior quote "inappropriate."

Richmond Early College High School allowed graduating students to put a quote of their choice under their yearbook picture. One student chose their senior quote to be "Build that wall," crediting Donald TrumpĀ for the statement.

Only after the yearbook was published and distributed to students did Principal Tonya Waddell deem several senior quotes inappropriate, including Trump's oft-repeated campaign promise to build a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border. At that point, 22 yearbooks had been pre-ordered, and only a handful of those had been distributed to students.

The yearbooks that were handed out were confiscated that same morning.

The Richmond County school district posted a statement on Facebook on Tuesday saying it regrets the incident and "will not tolerate inappropriate conduct toward any of our students."

The use of the controversial Trump quote and the school's subsequent decision to confiscate the yearbooks sparked a backlash from the community. Some people criticized the student on social media for using the quote, while others said students should be able to put whatever quotes they want under their names.

According to Richmond County school district spokeswoman Ashley-Michelle Thublin, none of the students were disciplined for their quotes.

Students who already paid $30 to $39 for their 2017 yearbooks will be reimbursed.