School Sued for Alleged Racial Discrimination Against Black Student

A student has filed a lawsuit against Babcock Neighborhood School after allegedly being called racial slurs by members of the volleyball team. The student has since filed a 33-page lawsuit against the school for providing her with a hostile environment in which to learn. The student alleges that she went through racial discrimination and bullying from members of the volleyball team at the school. The family is looking to hold the school district accountable for failing to prevent the bullying from continuing. The lawsuit contends that the student was called a variety of racial slurs and was physically attacked on a school trip. Attorneys for the family stated that they want justice for the Black student and to not only hold the school responsible for failing to curb such behavior but also the parents of the students who were responsible for the bullying.

The lawsuit claims that the school knew about the bullying. In an email sent by the principal of the school, the principal denied that the conduct was racially discriminatory. Meanwhile, the student was called names such as “monkey” and “cotton picker” as means of taunting, humiliating, and harassing the student.

The plaintiff in this action has a solid case. There is a video of the students saying things like “she didn’t pick her cotton this morning” and other racially charged language that has now gone viral. The students would also allegedly play a sound from their phones of a whip cracking and direct this sound at Black students.

Multiple lawsuits will be filed in this case as more Black students come to the fore to make allegations against the school. They contend that the school had a culture of discrimination and teachers and officials at the school did nothing to curb it. In fact, they shielded students who were committing the harassment from disciplinary action. In response to a video that was circulated in which one student says, “she didn’t pick her cotton this morning,” the school said that while inappropriate, it was not racially motivated.

Students don’t leave their civil rights at the door of a school 

If the student were an employee working for a company, she would be able to file an employment discrimination lawsuit on the grounds of a hostile work environment. In the case of a student who is going to a school, the student has the same rights to be free of racial discrimination. Teachers and the principal did little to curb the behavior of other students in bullying and harassing the girl based on her race. The student can now file a lawsuit against the school alleging that the environment that she was attempting to learn in fostered racism and a hostile learning environment.

Talk to a Tampa, FL Employment Discrimination Lawyer Today 

The Tampa employment lawyers at Florin Gray represent the interests of employees and students who have suffered racial discrimination as part of a hostile work environment. Call our office today to schedule a free consultation, and we can begin discussing your allegations right away.

Source:

winknews.com/2023/10/16/racial-discrimination-lawsuit-filed-at-babcok-neighborhood-school/