Massachusetts school district settles sisters’ racist bullying complaint
Two sisters have reached a settlement with Millbury Public Schools after alleging months of racist bullying and threats by classmates, and that school staff failed to address it adequately. The case raised questions about how the district handled reports of harassment and discipline involving the girls.
The sisters’ 2024 complaint to the US Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights said classmates used racial slurs and insults about their appearance, and included a threatening Snapchat message. It also alleged that Kamora was disciplined after tearing up a note containing a racial slur, and that the school suspended the sisters and involved law enforcement. Superintendent Greg Myers said the settlement involved no admission of wrongdoing or finding that civil rights had been violated.
In short
- Two sisters settled their complaint with a Massachusetts school district.
- They alleged racist bullying, threats and inadequate responses from school staff.
- The district said the settlement included no admission of wrongdoing.
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The case for
The sisters’ account raises a serious concern that repeated racist harassment and a threat were not addressed adequately, and that the response instead exposed them to further discipline and police involvement. A settlement can be seen as a way to resolve the complaint and prompt better safeguards without requiring the family to pursue a longer process.
The case against
The district’s position is that the settlement does not admit wrongdoing, and no civil rights violation was found. School officials may have had to respond to several incidents, assess competing accounts and maintain safety and discipline; without a formal finding, the available report does not establish that their actions were discriminatory or that they ignored the complaints.
Explained simply
Millbury Public Schools is the public school district serving the town of Millbury in Massachusetts. The sisters’ complaint was filed with the US Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights, which investigates claims that schools have mishandled discrimination and harassment.
The complaint described racial slurs, insults about the sisters’ appearance and a threatening message from classmates. It also questioned how school staff responded, including discipline imposed on the sisters and the involvement of law enforcement.
The case concerns how schools should respond to reports of racist harassment and how they treat pupils involved. The district’s superintendent said the settlement did not include an admission of wrongdoing or a finding that civil rights had been violated.
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Originally published by Daily Mail as “Black sisters reach settlement with school over racist bullying that saw white students carry round ‘n-word pass’ that they claimed permitted them to say the slur”.