Two high school students suspended for posting a racist photo involving their classmates on social media.

Two high school students in Albuquerque, New Mexico, were suspended from school and could reportedly face hate crime charges after posting an edited racist photo that involved their classmates on social media.

The photo shows two black students in a Volcano Vista high school classroom surrounded by classmates with edited images of KKK hoods on their heads.

The KKK - Ku Klux Klan is the name of three distinct movements in the United States that have advocated extremist reactionary positions such as white supremacy, white nationalism, anti-immigration. Historically, they used both physical assault and murder against groups or individuals whom they opposed.

After it was posted on the school’s Snapchat group, other students saw and reported it to school administrators. Albuquerque Public Schools said an immediate investigation was launched and the two students who posted the picture were suspended for 10 days, with one of them kicked off the football team. 

"It was awful," said Mary Morrow-Webb, the mother of a female student in the racist photo. "It was frightening. I just really got sick to my stomach. I was afraid for my daughters and for the other children there that are at risk for these types of threats."

The girl's father - Lamont Webb, revealed that his daughter, along with her two sisters who go to the same school, haven’t gone back since the picture was posted. "You don't expect your kids going to school and having to deal with racism and discrimination in 2017." 

The couple said they've been reporting incidents of racism and bullying toward their daughters for three years but the school has done nothing.

APS said the picture was totally unacceptable and Polive is investigating and looking very carefully at whether charges for hate crimes should be filed. The school also has a new principal who is looking to ensure that racist bullying at the school is stopped.