A mother is requesting a recall of her son's high school yearbook after he is featured in a picture with a leash around his neck.

In Boynton Beach High's 2005 yearbook, senior Robert Richards is featured in the school's superlatives wearing a leash being held by his girlfriend, Melissa Finley.

Students who voted elected Richards as "Most Whipped" by his girlfriend, using the slang term for a person who is controlled by another in a relationship. The accompanying photo shows Richards, who is black, on a leash held by Finley, who is white.

Jacqueline Nobles, Richards' mother, wants the books recalled.

"I know it's supposed to be in fun, but there are people still having trouble with African-Americans' past and this will be offensive," said Nobles, who was reminded of the poster for the 1970s miniseries Roots, which featured a manacled slave. "This picture, to me, is very distasteful."

Another photo, of the winners of the "Most Likely To Be On Jerry Springer" category, features a male student pretending to be on the verge of hitting a female with the back of his hand.

School district spokesman, Nat Harringtonthe, agreed that the pictures are inappropriate. The professional standards committee will investigate the situation, possibly resulting in "serious disciplinary consequences" for yearbook adviser Jordan Barenburg and "anyone else who should have brought it to the forefront for review before it was published."

"We expect the adviser to apply good judgment, good common sense, ethical standards, moral standards and standards that reflect the level of respect and dignity we expect in our schools," Harrington said.

About 240 copies of the yearbook made it into students' hands before Nobles called the school Tuesday to complain. The principal is holding an additional 460 copies.

Despite the controversy, Richards and Finley, who came up with the photo idea, thought it would set them apart from the others - they were right.

"We don't see a problem with it," Richards said before referencing the Roots character that haunted his mother when she saw the photo. "Kunta Kinte - that was over 300 years ago."

He also believes his mother and those who might share her anxiety think differently about racism and slavery because of their age. He and his peers aren't as conscious of race.

"If there was a black girl doing this in the picture, it wouldn't be an issue," Richards said.

The "whipped" couple have since broken-up.