Johnston County students call on school board to address discriminatory bullying

Some parents and students in Johnston County are calling on the Board of Education to address what they call discriminatory bullying.

Brooklyn Edwards, 15, a student at Princeton High School told WRAL News that she was called racial slurs by other students for months.

Her mother, Kaiulani Moses, provided examples of social media interactions, the kind of confrontation she says happens too often between white and Black students.

"These children do not deserve to go through these things," she said.

Her daughter has been on the receiving end of taunts far too long, according to Moses.

"There were four teachers in the gym and nobody did anything" she said.

"In the last couple of years I've been called racial slurs," said Edwards, who shared her experience with the school board Tuesday night.

"This person called me the 'n-word' several times and took cotton out of his pocket, dropped it on the ground and told me to pick it," she said.

A former student spoke on Brooklyn’s behalf, offering up ways to create a more inclusive environment.

"Hold those administrators accountable by making sure staff is diversified," said Macy Blake, "Or by including a minority club to help students become more comfortable."

"It’s bad enough we have to deal with racism in the real world," said Edwards. "We shouldn’t have to deal with it in school."

The bullying and slurs were a talking point during Tuesday night’s school board meeting.

JCPS released a statement that reads in part: "While we can not, and will not comment on specific events that involve student discipline, it is important for our community to know that we do not take any instances of bullying or harassment lightly. School administrators on campus are aware of the incidents in question and have responded swiftly and appropriately."