Montreal mother Sade Clayton is calling on the English Montreal School board (EMSB) to better protect her daughter and other Black students from potential racism.
Nova (not her real name), 13, won’t be at school on Monday because she was suspended for a day.
“My daughter is the one that’s suffering. She’s the victim in this situation,” said Clayton, as she held back tears.
Clayton says her daughter reacted after another student allegedly said the “N” word to her face, at Lauren Hill Academy Junior Campus.
Nova says she “lightly” slapped him and was sent to the office where she was suspended for violence.
She says the other student got detention.
“I feel upset and a bit frustrated because I have to be suspended and the boy that said the ‘N’ word doesn’t have to be suspended,” said Nova.
“I don’t condone what she did, [but] it was a reaction to being called a racial slur,” added Clayton.
The two say this isn’t the first time Nova has been the victim of racism.
Clayton claims the school and the EMSB are not taking the situation seriously.
She is now working with the Center for Research-Action on Race Relations (CRARR) to take the case to the Human Rights Commission.
“One of the things we’re going to ask in the complaint is not only compensation for hurt feelings and humiliation, stress, but more importantly, going to ask for systemic remedies,” said Fo Niemi, CRARR Executive Director.
The EMSB says Lauren Hill has a very diverse population, with spokesperson Mike Cohen adding its staff members are equipped to handle such situations.
“They actually undertake Black history and diversity training year-round and they’ve had certain important individuals in that field who’ve been coming into the school, speaking to each grade level since September,” he said.
Cohen says while the board disagrees with the use of the “N” word, it doesn’t believe Nova handled the situation well.
He would not say what repercussions the other student faced.
Nova is expected to return to class Tuesday despite the family’s concerns.
“As soon as I walk into school, I feel like…I never know how it’s going to be when I’m in class and in the locker room,” said Nova.
Though Clayton says she doesn’t feel safe sending her child back to school, she says she doesn’t have a choice because it’s too late to move her to another school.
