A civil rights lawsuit has been filed against Brookline schools in Massachusetts over allegations that the Public Schools of Brookline failed to properly protect a Black student who was bullied because of his race. The parents of the student claim that the school’s negligence and lack of adequate measures to address the bullying led to a hostile and unsafe environment for their child.
According to WBZ News, a Boston affiliate of CBS News, the 14-year-old student was allegedly called a “cotton picker” by another student in December 2023. On another occasion in April 2024, the student tripped and fell and another student put their knee on his neck and started yelling “George Floyd! George Floyd!”
The student’s parents, who requested that WBZ News only use their first names, said that the school’s officials didn’t do a lot to help their son.
Ricardo, his father, said that the pair just wanted to give their son better opportunities.
Wedee, his mother, said that the experience soured her belief in humanity.
“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.”
Ricardo continued, saying that his son never would have gotten the opportunity to get away with what happened to his son, were the roles reversed.
“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 told WBZ News. “What I was more surprised about is the fact that they were very nonchalant about the whole thing.”
Ricardo continued, “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.”
Lawyers for Civil Rights, the group representing the parents and their son in the court case, have filed four other civil rights lawsuits over the last two months related to racial bullying in the State of Massachusetts.
Linus Guillory, superintendent of Brookline Schools, released a 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.”
Guillory continued, “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.”
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