The parents claim in their lawsuit that the school district didn’t protect their daughter from racial harassment. They also said the 14-year-old girl has been bullied so much she is begging them to turn her white. The high school student was called the N-word and made fun of because she was Black. She was told to ‘go back to the plantation and pick cotton’ and ‘these N-word are gonna get it.’ The parents also said that the principal reportedly knew their adopted daughter was being bullied because of her race, but could see the negative toll it took on her. In Jan. 2022, the 1student was diagnosed with anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder and her parents decided to take her classes virtually, to preserve her physical and mental health.
The family from Michigan, April and Rob Malick, and their 14-year-old adopted daughter, only identified as C.M. in the lawsuit, are now suing the school district for not protecting the child from racial harassment. Unfortunately, after years of being the target of racial harassment because of the color of her skin, the high school student finally broke, the lawsuit claims.
According to WDIV Local 4, the family is now suing the CLSD for the racial harassment that the 14-year-old girl has experienced. According to the lawsuit, the student was repeatedly harassed and threatened because of her skin color. April Malick reportedly said: “She begged me, begged me to turn white. It was heartbreaking.”
The parents also said that their adopted daughter, who is Black, begged them to make her white so it would end the harassment. The parents removed the child from the school, ABS reports.
According to the lawsuit, when C.M. was 6th and 7th grade, she was racially bullied and harassed because she was Black. The high school student was regularly called the N-word, the lawsuit states. Both parents claim in the lawsuit that the principal reportedly knew their adopted daughter was being bullied because of her race, but could see the negative toll it took on her.
April and Rob Malick homeschooled C.M. for eighth grade and sent her back to school for 9th grade. According to the lawsuit, the parents claim the school district took no action to train students or teachers on discrimination, harassment and bullying. The school officials and administration did not do any anti-racism work with the school community, the lawsuit states. So, when the girl returned to school, the targeted bullying amped up a notch from before, according to ABS.
In September and October last year, the high school student was called the N-word and made fun of because she was Black. She was told to ‘go back to the plantation and pick cotton’ and ‘these N-word are gonna get it.’ Other students would say to her, “Your hair looks like s–t,” “I’m going to snatch your weave and burn it.”
Unfortunately, In Jan. 2022, the 14-year-old student was reportedly diagnosed with anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder and her parents decided to take her classes virtually, to preserve her physical and mental health.
According to the lawsuit, the family is asking for compensatory, economic, and non-economic damages, exemplary damages, punitive damages, liquidated damages, and an award of interest, costs, and reasonable attorney fees.
The school officials released the following statement:
“In keeping with our District’s ongoing commitment to communicate with our parents and community members on matters of concern to our families, I am writing to inform you that we have been made aware that a lawsuit has been filed against the school district and several administrators alleging that a District student who is enrolled in the High School was allegedly subject to racial harassment. We have not had an opportunity to review the Complaint, nor have we yet been served.
All that said, we respect the judicial process and will participate fully. The CLCS has an anti-discrimination policy, and it is enforced with fidelity. We do not tolerate harassment of any sort, including racial harassment. When brought to our attention, we thoroughly investigate all allegations of harassment, including but not limited to racial harassment. If any alleged harassment is found to have occurred, it is immediately and appropriately addressed and stopped, with consequences to the perpetrators as warranted.
We have contacted the District’s attorneys provided through our insurance carrier to defend against the lawsuit. We are mindful of protecting the rights of all students at the forefront, while also respecting the privacy and due process rights of those involved. As in any serious matter, our primary concern is for the safety, health and well-being of our students, staff, and families, and assure you that we will put support systems in place as necessary or appropriate as information becomes available.”