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Lake Highlands students protest over claims of racist behavior at school
A mother of a Richardson ISD student believes her son’s claims of racist behavior aren’t being properly handled by the district.
DALLAS - A mother of a Richardson ISD student believes her son’s claims of racist behavior aren’t being properly handled by the district.
"Prove that you guys want to make a change by being active, listening to the students," sophomore Dylan Barber said.
Barber organized a group of Lake Highlands High School students to protest Friday.
He said there have been multiple concerns among minority students at the school about faculty and students at the campus in Northeast Dallas.
"It’s a headache to keep hearing somebody saying the Confederate flag isn’t racist and that the n-word is just a word," Barber’s mother, Denisha, said.
Barber said he spoke to a teacher about his feelings Thursday, but that teacher — in the context of telling him he should turn the other cheek — used the n-word. Barber recorded the conversation.
"Don’t try to look so cool by saying words you’re not supposed to say because you never know who you’re offending when you do that," Barber said.
Barber believes he understands the teacher’s intent, and said his reason to protest Friday wasn’t directed at her.
"He might have opened it up, but other people have experienced so much at this school, it needed to be talked about," Barber’s mother added.
Richardson ISD said it has placed the teacher on administrative leave while it investigates, adding that, regardless of context, the word is inappropriate to use for any reason.
Richardson ISD Superintendent Dr. Jeannie Stone released a video message Thursday ahead of Friday’s protest.
"We want every student to feel safe and that they belong at school," she said. "I want to be clear that the least productive way for any student to achieve change is to making choices that disrupt the school environment."
The district said it plans to work with the students who protested Friday, but Barber wonders if the district really understands where he and other minority students are coming from.
"They just hushed him up about it," Barber’s mother said.
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