HADDON TOWNSHIP, N.J. -- Some white students at a South Jersey Catholic school walked out of classes Tuesday in protest over a speech by the New Jersey Secretary of State Regina Thomas.

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Tensions have been building up at Paul VI High School since Thomas' speech on racial justice last week.

Many students and faculty members walked out of the speech offended. They said that she lambasted one student for not knowing his black history and that she insinuated that the students were racist.

"It's, like, really crazy right now. Teachers are just standing by the doors. Kids are trying to get out. Kids are in the hallway, they won't go to class," one female student said.

"It was chaotic in there. Nobody went to class first and fourth period," another student said.

Several dozen students walked out after an assembly Tuesday in which the principal offered prayer for healing the rift between students.

"A lot of people are confused, and stuff. I think that's half the problem, there's a lack of communication," a student told NBC 10 News.

Many of the white students and faculty members were offended by what they called an overly confrontational and unprofessional speech by the secretary. Some felt she was calling them racist and a backlash on some black students fueled the fire.

"They don't know what it is like to open up your locker and see a KKK letter there. It's not the most comfortable feeling at all," said African-American student Kristen Minoh.

Minoh said the tension was too much Tuesday.

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Many students said the racial problems began only after the secretary's speech.

"I think she just started up a bunch of stuff and basically tried to start something," a student said.

"There's an issue at every school, it's no more of an issue at this school than any other school," another student countered.

Thomas issued a statement Tuesday in which she said that she is passionate about the topic of diversity and wanted to raise the level of awareness. She said that she never meant to be personal or critical of the students or the school.

The Diocese of Camden said it has listened to the views of students and parents on both side of the issues. It said that a majority of those students and parents were offended by the speech and the diocese was going to tell the secretary of state that it felt the tone was inappropriate for a high school setting and that a majority of the students felt disrespected by the speech.