Racial Lawsuit Filed Against Monroe County School Officials

Lawsuit Schools The American Civil Liberties Union alleges they discriminate against African-Americans

by Steve Alexander

Published: Wed, May 21, 2008 - 9:18 pm CST Last Updated: Wed, May 21, 2008 - 9:40 pm CST

The American Civil Liberties Union filed a racial discrimination lawsuit Wednesday against school officials in Monroe County, Alabama.
The suit claims school leaders subjected African-American students to racial slurs, racially-motivated discipline, and racially segregated classrooms.
The class action suit seeks to represent all African American students who attended Monroeville Junior High School last year, now, or in the future.
Mary Preyear talked about an incident she said happened to her granddaughter at the school.
Preyear said, "One boy in her classroom told her that she looked like a black monkey and when she went to the teacher who was white and complaining about it, she (the teacher) told her to go sit down, that maybe she did look like a black monkey to him."
The lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union specifically names the Monroe County Board of Education, Superintendent Dennis Mixon and Monroeville Junior High School Principal Lana Wilson as defendants.
Vatesha Gibbs is a student at the school.
She says another student was showing her how to hula hoop at a pep rally when a teacher pointed her out to the principal.
Gibbs said, "Ms. Wilson told me to come here and she told me, 'You need to go to my office because you were sitting out there looking like filthy, nasty trash.' "
Jeffrey Williams said his grandson was involved in a fight at the school and was told by Wilson, " 'Mr. Williams, I'm going to tell you what happened.' I said, 'What happened?' '(Wilson said) Well, your son is a young (n- word) gang.' I said, 'What did you say?' So, I got a bit hot and I sent him on to class. I went to Mr. Mixon, I talked to him and he told me, 'Well, that's a word she just normally uses, but that it wasn't directed at you or your grandson.'
Jackie Davis is the mother of a student at the junior high school.
Davis said, "They single the African American kids out and make them do things different than they did with most of the white kids."
The Monroe County Board of Education Office is located in the county courthouse.
News Five contacted school officials there and were referred to Board Attorney Mark Boardman.
Boardman said he couldn't comment on the lawsuit because he hasn't been served with the legal papers.
News Five also tried to contact Principal Lana Wilson, but a message at her phone number said her voice mailbox was full.

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