 When DâShean Smith moved near the Forsyth-Davidson County line before the start of the 2021-2022 school year, she was worried about enrolling her daughter in the Davidson County School System.
âWe basically live right on the county line but itâs in the Davison County School District. I moved to give my family a better life but I had concerns about changing districts, but I wanted to do things the right way,â Smith said.
Doing things the right way has turned into a nightmare for Smith and her daughter, who attends Oak Grove High School. âI shouldâve just not changed my address and took her to school because this has been a nightmare,â Smith added.
According to a complaint filed by Legal Aid of North Carolinaâs Right to Education Project (REP), which focuses on protecting the rights of children in public schools, over the course of three months Smithâs 14-year-old daughter, âAkuaâ (name used in complaint), has been a victim of racial harassment and discrimination while at school.
The complaint cites several different incidents including one where a group of white students were openly discussing how to pronounce ân*ggerâ and calling Smithâs daughter, who is Black, the racial slur, while the teacher was out of the classroom. Smith also recalled a separate incident where her daughterâs hair was pulled by a white student. But it was âAkua,â who got in trouble for cursing, while nothing happened to the other student for their role in the incident.
When she took her daughterâs complaints to the administrative staff at Oak Grove and district leaders, Smith said little was done to fix the problem. âEvery time I brought it to the principal, he was combative with me and told me that nothing happened ⌠that itâs not geared towards her,â Smith said.
âBasically, he made it seem like it wasnât important ⌠it wasnât a big deal because it wasnât happening.â
The complaint also mentions incidents where âAkuaâ was detained and put in ISS (In School Suspension) for minor infractions, and included specific dates where âAkuaâ believes she was the victim of racial discrimination.
As a result of what she has endured, Smith said her daughterâs pre-existing challenges dealing with anxiety and depression have increased and she is now finishing the school year virtually.
âIt got to a point where it was like us against them and she didnât want to go to school and I was determined to do what I had to do to get her out of that school,â Smith continued. âShe really hasnât been herself since this happened ⌠sheâs tried, but itâs just a lot to deal with mentally.â
This isnât the first time a school in the Davidson County School District has been called out for racism and discrimination, and that was one of the main reasons Smith had concerns about the district to begin with. In 2019, South Davidson High School made national news when âKill N*ggersâ was painted on the schoolâs spirit rock and countless other horror stories have been passed around through word of mouth over the years.
In a press release issued on March 22, Crystal S. Ingram, staff attorney for the Right to Education Project, said when administrators donât take complaints like this seriously, essentially theyâre promoting a cycle of racism and discrimination.
To restore justice in the matter, the Rights to Education Project is seeking a comprehensive investigation by the Office for Civil Rights of all the incidents documented in the complaint, appropriate and timely discipline of all DCS administrators, faculty and staff members who violated the studentâs rights, and DCS policies, and payments of costs associated with therapeutic counseling and transferring to another school district.
âStudentsâ reports of racial discrimination must be taken seriously and investigated. When school leaders fail to properly investigate the reports of Black students, they thereby fail to effectively address and eliminate racism in schools. This results in maintaining a hostile and toxic school environment created by the misconduct of white students and teachers at the expense of the mental well-being of Black students.â
To show âAkuaâ that the community is behind her, Hope Dealers, a local nonprofit organization, is hosting the âStand With Akua Rally for Racial Justiceâ on May 2 at Stoner-Thomas School in Lexington. Smith said she wants the rally to be an opportunity for every family who has experienced discrimination to come together and demand change.Â
âI know my daughter isnât the only one; I know itâs probably just been swept under the rug and they think they just have to tolerate it. But I want to stand up for not only my family, but other families who have gone through it.Â
âMy baby is supposed to feel safe when she goes to school ⌠itâs 2022. She should not have to go to school under those conditions where she doesnât feel safe.â