Students skipped class Monday to teach their own lessons about what they say is a culture of racism at the elite Beacon public high school.

Students say long-standing tensions boiled over when a white student was overheard making disparaging remarks about students of color after she was deferred admission from her top choice for college. She allegedly belittled those who win scholarships reserved for nonwhite students.

"Muslim students have been called terrorists. Mexican students have been called rapists. And white students have used the n-word so regularly that the students of color are unable to confront them about it every single time," said Fatima Zekic, a Beacon high school student.

"Everybody has just been angry and they're wanting for change, and incidents like this, this is not just an isolated incident,” said Beacon student Maymouna Bah. “In the past, there have been many incidents like this and the administration does nothing about it so we're just angry and we're wanting for change."

Originally, students called for a boycott of classes, but most ended up taking part in the sit-in instead, a protest many of them captured on video and posted on social media. One student who did not join in, and who wanted to remain anonymous, says some felt pressured to take part.

"I got judged. I walked down the hallway and I felt eyes turn. And I just wanted to go to class," said one student who wanted to remain nameless and who did not participate in the protest.

The students presented several demands, including a school-wide assembly to discuss their concerns, the hiring of more non-white guidance counselors, and regular meetings between students and administrators.

City Education Department (DOE) officials met with student leaders and agreed to some of the requests.

"I think that it was a very supportive meeting and everyone was very empathetic and surprisingly all of our demands were met," said Adrian Perez, another student at Beacon.

Students said they will make sure there is follow through.

"At the end of the day, it's just a promise that was made and I think that because this has been such a long problem in Beacon's history, we can't stop and we won't stop until there's a safe place for all people in Beacon," Perez said.

The DOE says it is investigating “allegations of staff misconduct,” which appears to be a reference to a teacher caught on a video encouraging students to boycott school.