You’ve heard the expression about “driving while black,” which is used to describe the feelings of discrimination black people feel when they’re pulled over by the police. You could probably add a variation of that term, “drinking coffee while black,” in light of what happened in a Pennsylvania Starbucks to two black men who dared to sit down without ordering some java.

Now, there’s a new variation, or there likely will be—”touring while native.” Thirty years from now, when someone looks up the term, they’ll be able to trace the origin of the term to Colorado State University.

Last week, a pair of brothers traveled from New Mexico to CSU’s Fort Collins’ campus, hoping to attend school there. They were late for the tour and wound up joining the group 45 minutes after it started. It’s a big no-no in Miss Manners’ book, but it’s not something you would think to call the police about.

The police were called anyway.

 

One of the mothers in the tour group called 9-1-1 about the boys, Thomas and Lloyd Gray, and told the dispatcher their presence “made me sick.” She said she thought the boys were Hispanic and claimed one of them said he was definitely from Mexico, apparently not hearing the “New” preceding it.

 

Some fun facts about New Mexico—the land became part of the United States territory through the Gadsden Purchase in 1853 and became an official state in the union on Jan. 6, 1912, about one month before my home state of Arizona became a state. New Mexico is not Mexico, despite having Mexico in the name, and freaking out about where they’re from is no excuse to bring the law down on them.

The mother also told the dispatcher that the boys seemed “creepy.” I wonder if she’s ever seen what some teenagers are wearing these days. White, black, Asian, Arabic, Indian—anyone can look creepy in someone’s eye.

The Gray brothers wound up being questioned by campus police, but fortunately, they were released without incident once they showed officers the email confirming they were supposed to be on the tour. They were still pulled out of the group, though, and missed more of the tour.

The university has apologized profusely publicly and was trying to reach the family to reimburse the boys for their travel costs and offer another tour, upgraded to VIP. Ultimately, though, the university shouldn’t have to falling on its sword. Officers were just responding to a call, and they didn’t lock the boys up or shoot them.

The one who should be giving the public apology is the mother who jumped to the conclusion that two Native American boys desiring to obtain higher education were creepy Mexicans looking to cause harm to the tour group. In the audio from the 9-1-1 call, she even admitted she was probably being ridiculous. Let me set her mind at ease—she wasn’t being ridiculous; she was being an idiot!

Native American students have the lowest scores on standardized tests on average, according to a U.S. News report, and only 67 percent graduate high school, compared to the 80 percent national average accounting for all races. If there are two boys who aspire to do better and go for a college degree, that should be embraced.

That shouldn’t result in the police frisking you and asking whether you belong.

This incident is the latest in a long line of incidents where someone of color is discriminated against, and that’s a sad commentary on our society. Making the first Americans the last Americans is not the direction our country should be going. We need to do better.