Students call for end to racism, bullying in school district
FORT WORTH, Texas — Current and former students in the Carroll, Texas, school district are sending a 10-page letter and petition to administrators and school board members demanding change, stating that people of color are continuing to experience racism and bullying.
Anika Shah, who helped organize the Southlake Anti-Racism Coalition, said in an interview that the group has collected over 200 anonymous testimonies on its Instagram page from Southlake residents and students detailing how they were bullied and marginalized because of their race.
The Instagram page has gotten over 1,000 followers.
Shah said the coalition plans on sending the letter to school board members and administrators last week.
The letter says in part that "Carroll ISD perpetuates a culture of racism and bigotry. Many former Southlake Carroll students of color remember invalidating, white-dominated conversations in our U.S. history classes over genocide, slavery, reverence of the Confederacy, racism, segregation, and civil rights."
Julie Thannum, assistant superintendent for board and community relations, couldn't be reached for comment last week, but the district issued a detailed statement on its Diversity Council website.
"We, in CISD, are heartbroken to hear our current and former students recount these experiences in Carroll ISD. The students are very brave for sharing their personal stories. We know they are hurting and want them to know that hearing their stories has only strengthened our resolve to address racism, bigotry and acts of discrimination."
But Shah said the district's statement doesn't go far enough in addressing the coalition's concerns, and that the students plan to attend the Aug. 3 board meeting.
"Our goal is to do this in the public eye to hold them accountable," she said. "The district needs to publicly condemn recent police brutality and to make a statement that Black Lives Matter. If they don't, we will know they don't think it's important," Shah said.
The Southlake Anti-Racism Coalition letter also described the incident involving the viral video that surfaced on social media last year showing students chanting the nword. The cheerleaders involved were not removed from the team, the letter stated.
According to its statement, the district took action after the first video surfaced, forming focus groups and strengthening its policies and code of conduct.
The school board also met face to face with students in 2019 and hired a diversity coach to visit campuses with the superintendent.
The school district's statement also said that the diversity council will meet on July 23 to see the cultural competence action plan which will be presented to students and the public and to the school board on Aug. 3.
The cultural competency plan addresses the need to eradicate bullying, harassment, or discrimination of any kind motivated by race, color, religion, sex, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, or age within the district, according to the statement.