Unchecked Racism: High School Student And Parents File $150M Lawsuit Against Michigan School District
A student and her parents have filed a $150 million lawsuit against the Bloomfield Hills School District in Michigan, Detroit after several instances of alleged racial discrimination went unaddressed.
According to Local 4 News Detroit, the unnamed, 15-year-old minor of Bloomfield High School and parents (Cedric McCarrall and Carmen Davidson-McCarrall) filed the federal class-action lawsuit Thursday (Nov. 18) against the Bloomfield Hills School District. The lawsuit also names the superintendent Patrick Watson and high school principal Charlie Hollerith for failing to address multiple instances of alleged racial discrimination. The lawsuit was filed on behalf of the parents and “all those similarly situated.”
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“As students of color, Plaintiffs and their parents have experienced racist, unfair, hurtful and at times dangerous interactions at BHHS at the hands of both white staff and students,” wrote the family’s attorney.
Evidence of discrimination listed in the lawsuit include a photo showing a red-lipped, black babydoll with a noose around its neck, dangling down from the school’s second floor. Another photo displays racist writings on a wall, with one message reading “kill all n***as” and another reading “all the n***as should be extinguished.”
The lawsuit charges that the school district is not properly handling any of the incidents. Bloomfield authorities have been investigating the graffiti writing and other social media posts named in the lawsuit.
“Despite being notified of race discrimination and related injustices by students and parents, Defendant has failed and continues to fail to take steps reasonably calculated to stop the discrimination and ensure Plaintiff’s safety,” the lawsuit continued.
A community forum held Tuesday (Nov. 16) allowed many students and parents to air their concerns.
On Thursday night (Nov. 18), a meeting was held by the district’s school board, where parents made their issues and concerns for their children as clear as possible. Local 4 News Detroit also reported on Nov. 12, a large group of Bloomfield High students walked out that Friday afternoon. The students were frustrated with how the administrative staff had handled the racial incidents brought to their attention.
“They’ve been telling the same story for a long time,” said one parent. “The administration has heard this before. It remains to be seen if things are gonna change.”