Texas school district faces harrowing allegations of racial hostility, violations of federal education and civil rights laws

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Dec. 18, 2024

Media Contacts:

Laura Felix, Texas Appleseed, lfelix@texasappleseed.org, 512-473-2800

Savannah Tarbet, Texas Civil Rights Project, media@texascivilrightsproject.org 

Edie Surtees, Disability Rights Texas, esurtees@DRTx.org, 512-407-2739

Willis Jacobson, National Center for Youth Law, wjacobson@youthlaw.org 

Supplemental complaint builds on February filing, illustrates how students with disabilities and students of color are pushed out of Bonham school district

BONHAM, Texas — More students and former employees have come forward with shocking accounts of brazen and unchecked racism and racial hostility throughout Bonham Independent School District (BISD), bolstering a civil rights complaint filed against the district this year with the U.S. Department of Justice.

The new allegations detail persistent racial harassment and abuse — including white students using racial slurs and bullying students of color, often in front of teachers and other staff, without intervention — as well as policies that violate the rights of students of color and effectively force them out of school. The newly included accounts illustrate a harrowing environment for Black and Latino students, in particular, and reinforce the need for a thorough DOJ investigation.

"The district treated my son like crap and he will have this memory the rest of his life," said Johnny Gorden, a parent of one of the students included in the complaint. "These were his learning years and look what he was taught. Every one of them should be ashamed."

One of the students involved in the complaint said the treatment she received in the district left her feeling "powerless." 

“Would you let your children experience this?” the student asked, echoing the frustration felt by many.

Added Olivia Lee, attorney with Disability Rights Texas: "We are deeply disheartened that in this day and age, students with disabilities are subjected to slurs and discrimination — painful experiences that have lasting harm and deprive them of the safe and supportive environment every student deserves."

In line with the initial complaint filed with the DOJ, the supplement further describes how BISD discriminates against students with disabilities and students of color by relying on truancy court referrals and creating hostile educational environments that push students out of school.

The supplement, which you can read in full here, details experiences shared by several current and former students, as well as an ex-employee who was fired from his job as a custodian after reporting incidents of racial abuse, including finding a noose hanging in a school gym. It adds the five students as complainants to the original complaint, all of whom experienced racial discrimination and harassment within BISD.

Among their experiences:

• A student with a disability was harshly punished by BISD for conduct related to his disability and repeatedly denied necessary accommodations. The student was subjected to frequent bullying and racial hostility from other students — he was called the n-word and names like "monkey" — and was even mocked by school staff. This student was suspended multiple times for behaviors consistent with his disability, even as white students who displayed the same behaviors, or worse, went unpunished.

• Another student, who described the racial harassment he faced as "out of this world," was repeatedly punished at school for minor incidents and eventually referred to Bonham Municipal Court for truancy, which nearly forced him out of school and into a GED program against his wishes. He spent about one-third of his time enrolled in BISD in disciplinary settings. He was effectively forced out of BISD to continue his education.

• A 9-year-old student, who said he and his sister are constantly subjected to racist taunts and slurs, has been repeatedly punished and threatened with referrals to truancy court due to exhibiting signs of a known medical condition.

• A Latino student who is entitled to accommodations due to his disability was physically attacked by a white student while in line for lunch. He was ultimately referred to the Disciplinary Alternative Education Program (DAEP) and barred from extracurricular activities and sports for defending himself, while the student who attacked him received only a short suspension. While in the DAEP, the student did not receive the accommodations to which he was entitled, causing him to fail a course. 

• A biracial student was subjected to incidents of bullying and racial discrimination, including being repeatedly called the n-word, with the school failing to adequately address any of these racist acts despite being informed.

"This experience affected my life a lot," said one student who was referred to the DAEP. "Because Bonham ISD was holding me back with false accusations and placed me in a DAEP, I never got the opportunity to play basketball and football during my senior year, even though I really wanted to. … I want the district to learn to treat everyone fairly and equally."

Added Dustin Rynders (he/him), Legal Director with Texas Civil Rights Project: "Each of the students involved in the complaint have concerns that have been repeatedly ignored, in violation of students' rights, by school and district staff. Students should learn and feel safe in school, not be abused or subjected to harsh punishments that strip them of educational opportunity."

"Students deserve support, particularly from administrators and staff, as they navigate challenges at school," said Hong Le, Senior Attorney at the National Center for Youth Law. "Bonham ISD's actions reveal not only an appalling disregard for students' rights, but also underscore the urgent need for meaningful changes to prioritize and protect students."

Renuka Rege, Senior Staff Attorney with Texas Appleseed also added: “BISD for too long has pushed students of color out of school through pervasive racial slurs, targeting, and indifference from school staff. Students deserve better, and we commend these brave students, their families, and others who have spoken up and demanded change." 

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About Texas Civil Rights Project

The Texas Civil Rights Project is boldly serving the movement for equality and justice in and out of the courts. We use our tools of litigation and legal advocacy to protect and advance the civil rights of everyone in Texas, and we partner with communities across the state to serve the rising movement for social justice. We undertake our work with a vision of a Texas in which all communities can thrive with dignity, justice and without fear.

Disability Rights Texas is the federally designated legal protection and advocacy agency (P&A) for people with disabilities in Texas established in 1977. Its mission is to help people with disabilities understand and exercise their rights under the law, ensuring their full and equal participation in society. 

The National Center for Youth Law centers youth through research, community collaboration, impact litigation, and policy advocacy that fundamentally transforms our nation's approach to education, health, immigration, foster care, and youth justice. Our vision is a world in which every child thrives and has a full and fair opportunity to achieve the future they envision for themselves. For more information, visit www.youthlaw.org.