HAWKINS COUNTY, Tenn. — A woman filed a $2.5 million lawsuit against the Hawkins County Board of Education and claims her son was subject to "racially-motivated peer harassment."
The lawsuit was filed May 24 in federal court in Greeneville.
It claims that the student has been "repeatedly referred to by the 'N-Word'; subjected to a barrage of other racial epithets; shown hate-based depictions of a KKK member holding a torch and noose; taunted as the brunt of a 'slave auction'; chased and ridiculed with a stuffed monkey; and shown depictions of African-American caricatures being stabbed and shot."
The plaintiff alleges that Hawkins County Board of Education officials tolerated and were indifferent to the pattern of racial harassment, depriving the student of equal access to educational opportunity and resulting in severe emotional injury, in violation of the Civil Rights Act.
The student has been enrolled at Church Hill Middle School.
The woman's attorney, Larry Crain, sent News 5, a sister station with WBIR, the following statement:
We have learned this is not an isolated incident and other students have experienced discrimination. There is an ongoing investigation into Title 6 Discrimination in the Hawkins County School system.
Hawkins County Schools sent News 5 the following statement:
We disagree with the assertions made in the lawsuit we received late last week.
Hawkins County Schools understands a parent has filed suit against our school system. Though the school system will not address specifics in an effort to protect student privacy, we vehemently deny that our school system tolerates racial discrimination or harassment of any kind. When such allegations are brought to our attention regarding student conduct, we take steps to investigate the same and to discipline those found responsible. Hawkins County Schools and the many educators who work within our school system strive to create an environment where all students - regardless of their race - feel safe and welcome. And we will defend ourselves in court against any claims to the contrary.