Six African-born students were racially profiled in an Apple Store. According to 9 News, the incident occurred at an Apple Store in Melbourne, Australia.
The students, who were all born in African countries before their parents moved to Australia, were kicked out of the store on Nov. 9. One of the teens used a cell hone video to record the interaction between the teens and a White manager at the Apple Store. The manager told the teens, “These guys are just a bit worried about your presence in our store, [they’re] just a bit worried you might steal something.”
The boys were confused and one asked, “Wow, why would we steal something?”
The manager answered by saying, “End of discussion, I need to ask you to leave our store.”
After the humiliating incident, the boys told the principal of their school. The principal escorted the boys back to the Apple Store and spoke with the manager, who apologized for his actions. Apple CEO, Tim Cook, also responded in a statement,, “We want every person who joins our team, every customer visiting our stores or calling for support to feel welcome.”
But an apology isn’t enough, considering the circumstance. The boys faced an overt form of racism that should never be tolerated. The manager should be reprimanded for his actions through termination.
During the incident, the manager was speaking on behalf of Apple and it was a disgusting display of hatred. Without evidence, the manager accused the boys of being potential thieves. Beyond the manager’s termination, Apple should compensate the boys for their pain and suffering by offering scholarships for their college education. And although Apple is more diverse than most of its tech counterparts, more cultural sensitivity courses should be implemented for every employee who is hired by the company.
The teens initially accepted the apology from the manager who forced them to leave. But they should also force Apple to make amends for such a horrible display of hatred.
Watch the video after the jump.
