An investigation continues into who wrote racial slurs on the message boards of five African-American cadet candidates at the U.S. Air Force Academy Preparatory School outside Denver.
The school was established to mold students who show leadership and other qualities that make them potentially strong applicants to the academy, but need to work on their academics before they're admitted to the military academy, The Washington Post reported.
The messages were discovered Monday and were first reported on by The Air Force Times.
One of the cadet candidates’ mothers put the a photo of the slur on her Facebook page showing that the message left said “go home" and then the slur.
She posted, “This is why I’m so hurt! These young people are supposed to bond and protect each other and the country. Who would my son have to watch out for? The enemy or the enemy?”
The father of the same cadet told The Air Force Times the messages were "utter stupidity," adding, "That word has zero power in my house."
The father said that his son is fine after the messages were left.
The Air Force Academy's superintendent, Lt. Gen. Jay Silveria, had harsh words for those who posted the message.
"There is absolutely no place in our Air Force for racism -- it's not who we are, nor will we tolerate it in any shape of fashion. Period. Those who don't understand that are behind the power curve and better catch up," ABC News reported.
Silveria said during his address to the cadet wing and the prep school students Thursday, "If you can't treat someone with dignity and respect, then you need to get out. If you can't treat someone from another gender whether it's a man or a woman with dignity and respect, then you need to get out. If you demean someone in any way, then you need to get out. And if you can't treat someone from another race or a different colored skin with dignity and respect, then you need to get out."
The the academy's security detail is investigating, but no further information has been released, The Air Force Times reported.
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