The Bonneville Superintendent in Idaho Falls wrote a lengthy letter to parents and employees after a photo with a racist message on a poster began making the rounds on social media.

"Late Monday evening, I was distraught to learn that one of our students had used a racist and derogatory comment on a poster invitation to Sweetheart Ball," said Dr. Scott G. Woolstenhulme, superintendent.

EastIdahoNews.com reported Tuesday that the message said in part, "If I was black, I'd be picking cotton, but I'm white, so I'm picking you."

Woolstenhulme said the district is addressing the matter.

"We cannot turn a deaf ear to such language and pretend it could never happen here," he said. "Whenever such language is used, we have a moral obligation to confront it. We will respond to this situation--and any other expressions of racist or bigoted language--with the appropriate and necessary actions to correct it."

He added, "As a district, we promise that every student in our schools will feel safe, connected, and cared for; I am so sorry that this incident broke that promise. We are resolved to continue our efforts to help all students learn from the mistakes of our past so that they can help to create a future that is finally free from racism."