A black student at Tomball Junior High School in a Houston suburb in the US was the victim of routine racial taunts, including a fake invitation to a “KKK birthday party” to be “held in his honour,” his mother says.
A Texas mom is furious after middle school bullies handed her son a fake invitation to a KKK-themed birthday party “with lots of fun and games.”
Tahiyyah Howard said that this wasn’t the first time her seventh grade son Justin has been the target of racial bullying. She told ABC News that several white classmates have repeatedly picked on the Tomball, Texas student just because he’s black.
In another incident, a female classmate wrote the words “Black Justin” on the board.
“My son was really upset," Howard said.
Officials at Tomball Junior High School confirmed that the note was written, but said that a teacher picked the note up before Justin could see it. Administrators then contacted Howard and disciplined the two students responsible.
Tahiyyah Howard says her son Justin has been at the receiving end of racial bullying at his school, including the taunting “invitation.” She hasn’t pressed charges, but she wants the students responsible to know that their actions are not okay.
“The behaviour of the two students who wrote the note is not acceptable,” a spokeswoman for the school district told ABC News in a statement.
Parents at the school had mixed reactions to the event.
"Just them being kids. Just human beings," Theresa Ellis told KTRK.
Falisha Tanner, another parent, wasn’t too surprised. "That's the norm here,” she told KTRK. “We are the minorities and we're treated as the minorities.”
The Houston suburb has a population of about 11,000. Recent census data confirms that 83% of Tomball’s residents are white, while 6% are black.
“I think the parents should teach their kids that being racist or bullying is not okay, no matter if you're playing around or just being mean. It's just not okay," Howard told KTRK.
The students who left the note are reportedly back in school.
- NYDailynews
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