Lawsuit: Black high school student used as 'target practice' for tennis team in Horry County
This report was provided by WMBF.com.
A federal lawsuit filed against Horry County Schools claims a Black high school student left school amid allegations of racial discrimination.
Documents show Crystal Dozier filed the suit on March 16 on behalf of her 17-year-old daughter, a Black student who attended Green Sea-Floyds High School. HCS is named as a defendant in the suit along with GSFHS principal Nick Harris, assistant principal Mary Price and tennis coach Krysten Webster.
When asked for comment on Wednesday, HCS told WMBF News that the district “does not comment on matters related to pending litigation.”
The suit claims Dozier’s daughter responded to an ad posted by Webster asking for students to join the tennis team. Webster, who is white, initially “refused to respond” to the teen regarding her interest.
The teen, who was identified in the suit as NC, was allowed to participate on the team after Dozier intervened. Practice began in July 2023, with NC participating with her teammates under an assistant coach while Webster was out of town.
When Webster returned, the lawsuit claims NC was “immediately beset with racial discrimination.”
The coach also allowed NC’s teammates, who were all white, to use NC as “target practice” each day. The behavior caused NC “great distress and emotional harm,” according to the suit.
Dozier claims Webster laughed in her face and walked away in August 2023 when asked how her daughter could become a better tennis player.
NC later approached Webster, who is also an English teacher, before a class in August and said she felt she was being discriminated against based on her race. Webster allegedly berated the teen and “rebuffed” her concerns. The teen was told to come back later in the day to continue the discussion.
She came back to a meeting that also included Price and a student of Indian descent who had similar concerns.
During the meeting, the lawsuit claims Webster “immediately got argumentative with NC and berated her.” Price is also accused of disregarding concerns of racial discrimination and “verbally assaulted” NC.
Dozier was then called to the school by her daughter that day. The lawsuit states she was cornered in an office by both Price and Harris, who claimed her daughter was being aggressive and violent during the earlier meeting.
Documents claim the two also “attempted to stifle all complaints of race discrimination and prevent plaintiff dozier and NC from making any complaints to the district by stating they do not allow race discrimination complaints and that they do not see race at Green Sea-Floyds High School.”
NC dismissed herself from the tennis team later that month “due to the racial abuse,” the lawsuit states.
Dozier later met with Price and played back a recording of the meeting between her daughter, Webster and Price - after which Price reportedly admitted that she lied about NC’s behavior and apologized.
A meeting was later held with Harris, Webster, Dozier and NC’s stepfather - with Harris allegedly saying he wanted to end their complaints.
Instead, Dozier wrote a letter to Horry County Schools and the school board on Sept. 6, 2023 , to raise concerns.
Her daughter then allegedly got bullied at school after the letter was sent. After she went to Price to talk about it, the principal reportedly allowed the bullying to continue.
The lawsuit claims teachers told NC “shame on her” for having made complaints about racial discrimination
