Parents sue Massachusetts school district, say eighth grader was racially bullied and nothing was done about it
BROOKLINE - A civil rights lawsuit has been filed against Brookline schools claiming the district didn't do enough to protect a Black student who was racially bullied.
The student's lawyers say the issues go beyond Brookline into other Massachusetts communities.
Brookline racism complaint
According to the complaint, a 14-year-old eighth grader at the Amos Lawrence Middle School was called a "cotton picker" by another student last December. The complaint also alleges that the same student tripped and fell in a separate incident in April. While the student was on the ground, the complaint states that another student put their knee on the Black student's neck and yelled, "George Floyd! George Floyd!"
The lawsuit was filed with the U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights by Lawyers for Civil Rights.
The students' parents, who both asked to be referred to by their first names, argue that Brookline school officials did not do enough to help their child.
"All we wanted to do was to give our son opportunities that we didn't have," the child's father, Ricardo, told WBZ-TV.
"I really just wanted and truly believe that humanity exists. Like, caring about people, checking in on them, and that's what I wanted them to do for my son. By not checking in on him, you are saying a lot," the student's mom, Weddee, said.
According to the complaint, the family reached out to the school and district to facilitate meetings with the parents of the other students involved, but those meetings never materialized.
"If my son had done something even remotely close to what had happened, he would have been expelled. God knows, he probably would have been in juvenile detention right now, depending on the circumstances," Ricardo said. "What I was more surprised about is the fact that they were very nonchalant about the whole thing."
Racial bullying accusations in Massachusetts
Lawyers for Civil Rights has filed four other civil rights lawsuits in the last two months related to racial bullying in Massachusetts.
LCR represents a Southwick student who was allegedly "bid" on during an online slave auction and two Melrose students, one who alleges that the N-word was used against them, and one Black girl who alleges a white student cut off her hair braids.
"And I think it just really demonstrates that no city or school district is immune to these types of issues," Mirian Albert, senior attorney at Lawyers for Civil Rights, told WBZ.
The Superintendent of Brookline Schools, Linus Guillory, released this statement:
"We have received and are currently reviewing the complaint filed by Lawyers for Civil Rights on behalf of a Public Schools of Brookline family. The Public Schools of Brookline condemns hatred and racism in all of its forms. Racism and discrimination run contrary to the values of our school district. The Public Schools of Brookline is committed to equal access to high-quality education for all students, and our Office of Educational Equity works closely with faculty, staff and administration to ensure that the district's policies and practices are fair and provide opportunities to ensure that every student, regardless of race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, or economic status, has an equal chance to participate, succeed and grow in Brookline. We are currently working with counsel to review the complaint, and we will put forward an appropriate response within the timeframe allowed by the legal process."
The parents of the Brookline student say they are seeking justice.
"As much as it is about him, I find it's an opportunity to get something done about it, not just for him but for other kids who might be experiencing this or who might be about to experience this," Ricardo said.