Rhode Island high school raised money to pay off debt to human trafficker

The assistant principal of a Rhode Island school emailed the school's teachers and staff asking for contributions to help pay off a student's debt to a cartel. Following complaints from teachers, the school's principal sent a new email calling her assistant's request "not appropriate." Transporting illegal immigrants is a federal crime, as is financing violent drug trafficking organizations.

Stefani Harvey, who described herself on her Twitter profile a "black educator, queer and activist," asked Mount Pleasant High School workers for a donation to "help one of our own students here at Mount." Harvey made the request through her official school email and with the signature including her position as assistant principal.

"A group that helps people"

In the email, Harvey explained that a student, whom she does not name, must finish paying off his debt to "Coyote" by Feb. 1. The assistant principal does not seem to know that coyote is a slang term for human smugglers who charge to help illegal immigrants cross the border. In fact, Harvey referred to this as "a group that helps people." According to the e-mail, the student had to pay $5,000 by the Feb. 1 deadline for the services received.

Principal: the request is "not appropriate"

The student in question needed to urgently raise $2,000 by Feb. 1. In the email, the assistant principal does not mention what this "group that helps people" would do if the debt is not paid before the deadline.

After learning of Harvey's email, the school's principal, Tiffany Delaney, sent a second email calling the request "not appropriate." She said: "I was informed there was an email seeking financial support for one of our students. I appreciate the faculty and staff contributing to a cause that supports a student, but the nature of the request is not appropriate."

In addition, Delaney announced that the funds raised "will be returned" and that the institute will seek "more appropriate methods to help our students."