Chesterfield school board member plans community forum addressing racism

TL;DR: A Chesterfield school board member is organizing a community forum to address racism in schools following an altered image targeting a Huguenot High School football player that circulated on social media.

The story

An altered image targeting a Huguenot High School football player circulated on social media following a football game between Huguenot and Midlothian high schools in late September. The image placed a Huguenot player's face on the body of Nolan Wells, an 18-year-old Black student-athlete from Mississippi who died following a July 4th boating trip. A Midlothian High School student created and posted the image using a personal device off campus.

School Board member Dominique Chatters, representing the Dale District, described the image as "racist and threatening and wildly inappropriate." Superintendent Dr. John Murray stated: "Together, we denounce any act of racism as abhorrent and intolerable" and said it "does not represent the values of our school division."

Beyond this specific incident, Chatters said she has received "countless conversations and phone calls and emails from families across Chesterfield County about racial issues they have encountered in their schools." In response, she is organizing a public community forum in partnership with the Chesterfield County NAACP. Chatters explained the rationale: "It's about being proactive and having the conversation and understanding that it's going to take all of us to fix the problem."

The forum, planned for no later than December 2026, will focus on identifying ways to prevent racist behavior and developing policy recommendations for the school board. Chesterfield County NAACP President Nicole Martin confirmed that school officials have committed to developing an action plan that includes education for both staff and students to address racial bias and promote respectful, inclusive school environments.

Key players

• Dominique Chatters: Chesterfield County School Board member (Dale District) organizing the community forum
• Dr. John Murray: Chesterfield County Schools Superintendent
• Nicole Martin: President of Chesterfield County NAACP

Key dates

• 2026-09-27: Altered image targeting Huguenot player circulated on social media following Huguenot-Midlothian football game
• 2026-12-31: Community forum on racism in schools planned to occur no later than this date

Why it matters: The incident highlights ongoing concerns about racism in Chesterfield schools, and the planned forum reflects growing awareness among school leadership of the need to address racial issues systematically. For residents, the initiative signals efforts to create a more inclusive school environment and offers an opportunity for community input on policies aimed at preventing future incidents.

Places

• Huguenot High School
• Midlothian High School

Related links

• Chesterfield County Public Schools
• Chesterfield County NAACP

Read the original at WRIC 8News Local →

Sources

• Chesterfield School Board member calls for community forums following racist social media post
• Chesterfield school leaders condemn altered image targeting Huguenot football player
• 'We can make progress': Chesterfield school board member to host community forum after racist social media post