A white family is suing after they say their Black adopted daughter faced threats of violence and racial harassment for months at her Michigan school.
"She begged me, begged me to turn white," April Malick, the 14-year-old's adopted mother told WDIV News, That was the breaking point for Malick and her husband Rob. Now, the couple has filed a federal lawsuit against the Croswell-Lexington School District.
The lawsuit alleges that their 14-year-old begged her parents to be white so that the harassment would stop. Court filings indicate that the threats and bullying were not by every student, but enough such that it was pervasive and ongoing for months.
The couple has since removed the teen from the school.
"In the begging, they were like, 'Yeah, let's get this done; we're going to investigate,'" Rob Malick said. But nothing was ever done, the family says, despite new incidents happening.
"You have adults standing by not taking action," the couple's attorney, Deborah Gordon told the news outlet, pointing out the lawsuit's main argument.
In a statement to WDIV, the Croswell-Lexington School District says it does not tolerate racial harassment.
"The Croswell-Lexington Community Schools has an anti-discrimination policy, and it is enforced with fidelity. We do not tolerate harassment of any sort, including racial harassment. When brought to our attention, we thoroughly investigate all allegations of harassment, including but not limited to racial harassment," the statement reads in part.
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