A Minnesota School District is being sued by a group of parents after ignoring a 6-year-old black student’s long and repeated history of being bullied.
What We Know:
- These reported instances included the student repeatedly being called the n-word, told he “didn’t belong”, and having food thrown at him. As a response, the school district labelled the bullied student as “aggressive” and suspended him after confronting a student who repeatedly called him the n-word.
- The school district had some other instances at a middle school as well. A t-shirt was vandalized with the n-word and “leave now” after it was stolen from a black student’s locker. Another black student had his computer destroyed while his dad was called a “drug dealer or rapper” like “all black dads are.”
- The lawsuit was filed August 3, 2019, in the US District Court of Minnesota. In the case, the six students want a jury trial to “determine damages in excess of $75,000 for mental anguish and emotional distress.”
- “Our public schools are supposed to respect and keep children safe while creating an educational environment in which they can thrive. That didn’t happen for African-American students in Chaska [a city in the district]”, attorney Anna Prakash, who represents some of the families, told the Daily Beast.
- “Our clients tried and continue to try to get help from the administration,” said Prakash, “but, with all they have experienced and because meaningful change has not happened, they filed this lawsuit.”
- There was no commentary from the school district.
All in all, this racist and intolerant behavior that is sweeping the nation is not ok. Students are required to go to school so they can learn and help grow to their fullest potential. Schools need to recognise and be held accountable when they aren’t doing just that.
