An independent investigation into the much-discussed encounter that went viral between Catholic high school students, a Native American tribal leader and members of another protest group on the Lincoln Memorial grounds in Washington in January found no evidence that the students of Kentucky’s Covington Catholic High School issued “offensive or racist statements”.
A report on the investigation was released by the Covington Diocese on February 13.
Two days before releasing the report’s findings, Covington Bishop Roger Foys wrote to parents of the high school students telling them he was pleased to let them know that his hope that an inquiry into the events of January 18 would “exonerate our students so that they can move forward with their lives has been realised”.
The investigation, conducted by Greater Cincinnati Investigation Inc., which has no connection with the high school or diocese, “demonstrated that our students did not instigate the incident that occurred at the Lincoln Memorial”, the bishop said.
Report
The four-page report signed earlier this month said that four investigators spent 240 hours looking into the events of January 18 when the Covington Catholic High School students – in Washington for the annual March for Life – met up with other groups while waiting for their buses to pick them up. The investigators spoke with 43 students, 13 chaperones and a number of third-party witnesses. They also reviewed about 50 hours of internet footage or comments focused on the groups’ exchange.
Investigators were unable to question Nathan Phillips, tribal elder for the Omaha Tribe, who was chanting and beating a drum by the students, or Nick Sandmann, the student most prominent in viral footage of the encounter.
The investigators also noted that most of the students wearing the “Make America Great Again” hats had bought them in Washington during their visit. In previous years, chaperones said some students bought “Hope” hats in support of President Barack Obama. There is no school policy prohibiting political apparel on school-sponsored trips, the report said.