The parents of a 14-year-old Black student have filed a civil rights lawsuit against the Public Schools of Brookline, Massachusetts, alleging the school district failed to protect their son from racist bullying.
https://www.cbsnews.com/boston/news/civil-rights-lawsuit-racial-bullying-brookline-middle-school/The lawsuit, filed with the assistance of Lawyers for Civil Rights, claims that the school’s negligence led to a hostile and unsafe environment for the student.
According to the complaint, the student endured several racially charged incidents. In December 2023, a classmate allegedly called him a “cotton picker.”
In a separate incident in April 2024, another student tripped him, placed a knee on his neck, and shouted “George Floyd! George Floyd!”
These references invoked the widely publicized murder of George Floyd, an unarmed Black man who was killed by a police officer in 2020.
The parents, identified by WBZ News only by their first names, Ricardo and Wedee, expressed deep concern over the school’s inadequate response.
Ricardo noted:
“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.”
He added that the school’s nonchalant attitude toward the incidents was particularly distressing.
Wedee echoed these sentiments, stating:
“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 lawsuit is one of several filed by Lawyers for Civil Rights in recent months, addressing racial bullying in Massachusetts schools.
The group aims to bring attention to systemic issues within the state’s educational institutions and seek justice for affected students.
In response to the lawsuit, Linus Guillory, superintendent of Brookline Schools, issued a statement condemning racism and discrimination:
“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. 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.”
As the legal proceedings unfold, the case highlights ongoing concerns about the treatment of students of color in educational settings and the responsibilities of school districts to provide a safe and inclusive environment for all students.
