Three Wiregrass Ranch High School students may face disciplinary action after they were sent home for wearing Ku Klux Klan costumes. 

  • Students sent home after wearing what looked like KKK costumes and hoods

Someone posted  a clip on social media of the students dressed in KKK hoods during Spirit Week at Wiregrass, located in Wesley Chapel. 

The three students, who were not identified, posted a photo of themselves dressed up in white sheets on social media with the caption, “BRUHHHHHHHHH."

Superintendent Kurt Browning held a news conference Thursday to address the situation and reports that the outfits were actually ghost costumes. 

"That may have been the initial report," Browning said. "But usually ghosts don't have pointed hats."

School officials have not said what, if any, punishment the students may face. 

Manatee High School protest

A protest took place outside Manatee High Thursday morning.

  • Protest outside Manatee High
  • Black students protested Confederate flag brought to school for Spirit Week
  • Peaceful protest ended before school Thursday

According to school officials, a number of black students gathered to protest a Confederate flag that was brought to campus Wednesday during Spirit Week. 

The Black Live Matter-themed protest, which remained peaceful, took place about 15 minutes before school and did not interrupt any school activities. 

School officials said students wore black, held up signs and some put fists up in the air, a school district official said. 

There were no further incidents during the school day Thursday. 


Students gather at Manatee High early Thursday as part of the protest. It lasted about 15 minutes before the first school bell rang. (Courtesy Twitter)