Connect with us

Politics and Current

Outraged parents say Georgia cheerleaders were kicked off team for complaining about coach calling them the N-word, but no one was punished

Published

on

A Georgia school district has reached a civil rights settlement on find out how to reply to incidents of racial harassment after two former black students were called a derogatory name by their cheerleading coach, but their parents are concerned the district won’t implement the measures.

Antwishia Thomas and Cortese Walker filed two complaints against the Houston County School District on January 15, 2020, after they learned that Veterans High School coach Daniel Satterfield called their daughters the N-word twice during cheerleading practice in October 2019.

Perry, Georgia Veterans High School. (Photo: Houston County School District)

Thomas and Walker told The Macon Telegraph that the junior varsity coach notified them of the insult. The coach confronted Satterfield, who “apologized” and said he was “quoting lyrics,” in keeping with investigative documents from the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights.

Both parents reported the incident to high school administrators. However, during an internal investigation, all coaches told administrators that nothing “out of the ordinary” happened at practice, including the JV coach.

Thomas and Walker also told school officials that Satterfield had a habit of bringing up questionable and offensive topics related to race with their daughters, including making comments about dark skin and calling Walker’s daughter “ghetto.” Both girls were the only black cheerleaders on the team.

After the racial slur was reported to the school, Satterfield’s wife, head cheerleading coach Katie Satterfield, allegedly responded to each girls by refusing to permit them to help with stunts and ultimately deeming them “uncoachable.” The girls were kicked off the team shortly thereafter.

After the district learned that three cheerleading coaches who were initially approached about the racial slur had lied when officials questioned them, the girls were allowed to return to the team. The school ordered all of the team’s practices to be held on campus and coordinated administrator attendance at practices to observe the team.

Thomas also reported the harassment to the Houston County Board of Education, but VHS administrators were the only officials who made contact together with her and really helpful measures that ended with each girls being isolated and exposed to harassment from other students.

According to court documents, although the district issued a letter regarding the head coach’s professionalism and responsibility, the Office of Civil Rights found no evidence that officials implemented “any corrective actions or had any dialogue that focused on ensuring the head coach had a work environment free from discrimination.”

Before the federal office concluded its investigation, the Houston County School District contacted us expressing its desire to resolve the criticism.

On July 17, an agreement was reached to resolve the issue. It requires the school system to issue an announcement prohibiting racial harassment in the district, train all school personnel on racial discrimination and promptly address all reports of racial harassment, amongst other measures.

The agreement doesn’t require the district to confess any wrongdoing or liability.

Thomas and Walker said they feel the Satterfields were never fully held accountable for their actions and would have felt higher if the district had apologized to them when the situation occurred.

“They believe in protecting their employees and administrators,” Walker said. he stated“It’s not about protecting children. Children were portrayed as the villains, and they saw it. They saw it happen and they didn’t talk about it.”

Daniel Satterfield no longer works at Veterans High School. His wife, Katie, resigned as head cheerleading coach in December 2019 as a result of “health issues.”

“Their behavior was ignored” – Thomas he noticed“There were no punishments. If a child had done anything these adults did, they would have been immediately expelled from school.”

Thomas added that the resolution may look good on paper, but she worries the district won’t fairly implement the actions taken, which could lead on to potential future incidents of racial harassment going unchecked.

“Do I feel like they’re going to make and implement changes? I have no doubt they’re just going to put it on hold,” Thomas said.

The Houston County School District released an announcement after the agreement was reached.

“While the District cannot comment on staff or student matters, we are committed to providing our schools with a safe and caring environment for all students,” the District said. “We reinforce this value by providing training to all staff and students on bullying and harassment. If a student ever feels harassed, we encourage them to talk to a counselor or administrator. Our school district also uses Anonymous Alerts, which is a safe way to report any form of bullying in our schools. We will continue to focus on meeting the social, emotional, and academic needs of our students.”

This article was originally published on : atlantablackstar.com
Continue Reading
Advertisement
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Politics and Current

Harris is uniquely positioned to combat gun violence in black communities, advocates say

Published

on

By

Kamala Harris, theGrio.com

Gun violence is back in the national highlight following Wednesday’s events deadly shooting at highschool in Winder, GeorgiaThe tragedy that struck Apalachee High School in which 4 people were killed and nine injured has Democrats and gun safety advocates renewed calls for stricter gun laws.

“We need to end this epidemic of gun violence in our country once and for all,” Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic presidential candidate, said hours after Wednesday’s shooting at a campaign event in New Hampshire. She added: “It doesn’t have to be this way. It doesn’t have to be this way.”

Supporters see Harris because the one and best candidate who can construct on progress in reducing gun violence, particularly in black communities. Addressing the difficulty is a top concern for black Americans, who’re nearly 3 times as likely to be more likely than white Americans are killed by firearms.

According to a survey by the gun safety group GIFFORDS, 74% of black voters want stronger gun laws. The survey, a part of a $15 million campaign to highlight gun violence ahead of the Nov. 5 general election, also found that half of all black voters are “very concerned” in regards to the prevalence of gun violence in their communities, compared with 24% of the general voting population.

GIFFORDS, founded by former congresswoman Gabby Giffords, who survived a 2011 assassination attempt, has endorsed Harris for president in 2024. Giffords praised Harris’ “steadfast leadership” on the difficulty of gun violence, adding that the Democratic nominee “will save lives.”

McMillan says Harris has been a “key partner” and “gun safety champion,” each as a U.S. senator and now as vice chairman. Harris currently leads the historic White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention, which is tasked with implementing provisions of the Biden Safer Communities Act, which allocates $250 million for community violence intervention programs.

“We know this works in Black and brown communities,” McMillan said.

U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris speaks to attendees on the Everytown for Gun Safety conference on August 11, 2023 in Chicago, Illinois. The conference brings together 1000’s of activists, volunteers and survivors of gun violence to advocate for gun law reform. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)

“She’s not just a symbol of possibility — she’s a powerful force shaping policy to keep our families safe,” said Ferrell-Zabala, who noted that Harris tightened gun safety laws as California’s attorney general and, as a U.S. senator, co-sponsored laws to expand background checks and ban violators from possessing guns.

She added: “She truly understands the devastating reality of this uniquely American crisis that disproportionately affects communities of color, and that we must invest in holistic, local solutions that are created by the communities it impacts.”

In her New Hampshire speech, Harris noted that in her “Fight For Our Freedoms” college tour last fall, she asked students on each campus to raise their hand in the event that they “had to endure a shooting drill at any point between kindergarten and 12th grade.”

“I tell you, every time the room was full, and almost every hand went up,” said the vice chairman.

Harris, together with President Biden, Democrats and advocates, have called on Congress to go further than the Safer Communities Act, which expanded background check requirements and created latest crimes. Gun safety advocates also want to ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines and establish universal background checks.

According to the GIFFORDS poll, 50 percent of black voters attributed the issue to a scarcity of mental health services, while 49 percent blamed the nation’s gun violence epidemic on weak gun laws. Forty-seven percent of black voters cited quick access to guns, while 40 percent blamed loopholes in gun laws.

“If we have a strong economic program that actually lifts black people out of poverty, we will see gun violence in communities go down,” Powell said.

According to data from the Black Census Organization, black voters’ concerns about gun violence are threefold: community violence, white supremacist violence, and police violence.

Apalachee High School Shooting, theGrio.com
Students, faculty and community members gather for a vigil following the shooting at Apalachee High School on September 4, 2024 in Winder, Georgia. Four people were reported dead and injured, and a 14-year-old suspect is in custody, according to authorities. (Photo by Megan Varner/Getty Images)

While gun violence continues to plague the country, there are signs that the Biden-Harris administration’s work is paying off. Data shows gun violence deaths are on the rise downward in 2024. But supporters say they’re fearful about the implications if former President and Republican Party candidate Donald Trump wins the November election.

“What happens to the (White House) Office of Gun Violence Prevention if, God forbid, Donald Trump is re-elected?” McMillan asked. “We know he will be proud not to address this issue or to try to undo the progress we have made through his alliances with the NRA (and) the gun lobbyists.”

On Thursday, Trump’s vice presidential nominee, U.S. Sen. J.D. Vance, faced criticism for saying school shootings are a “fact of life.” He also misleadingly claimed that Harris wants to “take guns away from law-abiding citizens.” He and Trump have also called for tighter school security as an answer, although the National Education Association notes that tightening school security doesn’t prevent shootings.

“Donald Trump and JD Vance believe school shootings are a ‘fact of life’ and ‘we have to get over it,’” Harris campaign spokesman Ammar Moussa said, echoing Trump’s earlier remarks after the Iowa school shooting in January.

“Vice President Harris and Governor Walz know that we can take action to keep our children safe and prevent criminals from getting access to guns,” Moussa said. “Donald Trump and JD Vance will always choose the NRA and the gun lobby over our children. That’s the choice in this election.”

Featured Stories

This article was originally published on : thegrio.com
Continue Reading

Politics and Current

Kamala Harris Campaign Boosts Voter Registration

Published

on

By

The Colored Girls, Kamala Harris


Vice President Kamala Harris, who’s headed to the polls in November, continues to have an enduring impact on young black women.

The Atlanta Voice reports that the Harris campaign could also be answerable for the recent events. increase in voter registration amongst young black women. The voter registration rate amongst young black women in 13 of the country’s “key battleground states” has risen to 175%, based on data shared by TargetSmart.

That’s nearly thrice higher than the speed seen in the course of the last presidential election between President Joe Biden and Donald J. Trump in 2020. Overall, the registration rate for Black women increased by 98%, and the general Black voter registration rate jumped to 85%.

Less than 24 hours after Harris was announced to interchange Biden within the November 2024 election, Black women $1.3 million raised for her campaign purposes.

“We are together. We are beautiful, we are strong, we are capable. We are ready. We have incredible power in this group,” said Aimee Allison, a daily participant within the network’s weekly #WinWithBlackWomen phone calls lately. “People were just so hungry for that community and that sense of hope.”

It is very important to notice that interest in civic engagement and activities amongst Black students has increased since Harris took the oath of office to serve the nation as vp in 2021.

In 2022, Child Trends reported that Black students were more prone to express an interest in civic engagement and motion than their peers; experiences with racism had a major impact on the information. Additionally, the study found that Black children usually tend to use platforms like social media to advertise political awareness and participation amongst their peers. They also use this avenue to interact in activism.

“As these young girls and women assert their political power, their influence can extend to shaping educational policy, such as more civics education in the classroom, which will primarily benefit black schools and communities,” said Hilary Wilson, a doctoral student in education who’s currently studying at Louisiana State.

January 20, 2021 Harris made history the primary woman, the primary Black American and the primary South Asian American elected to that position, and will well do the identical if she wins the 2024 presidential election against Republican Party candidate Donald Trump.


This article was originally published on : www.blackenterprise.com
Continue Reading

Politics and Current

White man caught harassing woman over parking space gets surprising response from employer after disclosure

Published

on

By

The employer of a young man whose video went viral, who competes with a woman for a parking space, has shared the the explanation why she decided not to fireplace him.

In many cases, people caught on video aggressively engaging in public confrontations face penalties from their employers.

However, Deena Saunders-Green decided to take a special plan of action after seeing a video that went viral featuring her worker, Nigel Ford.

Deena Saunders-Green, left, said she was standing next to her worker who was filmed online harassing a woman over a parking space. (Photos: Instagram/Nigel Ford, TikTok/deenasgreen)

Video footage from Newport Beach, California, shows Ford in a fight with a driver who was parked in a parallel parking space. Ford is seen yelling at the motive force and slamming his body into the front of her automotive.

The driver posted a brief note clip on her TikTok account on Aug. 5 under the username @mmanuelaaaa with the caption: “Tik Tok help me find this and send this to his employer.” Her video has been viewed by about 93,000 people. But well-known content creator @thatdaneshguy reposted it on his platforms, attracting thousands and thousands of views.

Saunders-Green hires Ford at a Long Beach media company that helps financially disadvantaged artists monetize their work.

When she saw the video, she decided not to fireplace Ford over one moment of shock. Instead, she assessed his overall behavior and character as an worker.

She posted a video on her TikTok channel explaining what led to her decision to maintain Ford employed after being bombarded with demands to discipline him.

“Was it bad behavior? Absolutely. Will I fire him as a result? Absolutely not.” – Saunders-Green he claimed“Because she shows up regularly to do the work that is needed to work with Black and Brown artists,” adding that the corporate works with several allies who need to use their privileged class to advocate for systemic change.

@deenasgreen I attempt to stay in my lane and do my part to (hopefully) do something good on this matter. #crazyworld …but so many individuals send private messages and there are #mean I needed to say something! @Danesh yes I do know #NigelFord . #veterans #usmcvet #USMC #iwasafosteryouth #fostercaregraduates #bad #whiteprivilege #MentalHealthAwareness #twomistakesdon’tmakeimprovement ♬ original sound – deenasgreen

She also stressed that the footage only shows the confrontation, not the moments leading as much as it. She told Business Insider that Ford admitted to getting upset when someone rushed right into a parking space he was waiting for.

“People are saying they want to do this to a young man because they saw the end of the movie,” Saunders-Green said of the vile messages she received about Ford, in addition to the death threats he received. “Yeah, it’s not OK. I’m not going to disrupt our operations or (Ford’s) life.”

Her video has been viewed greater than 4 million times, with many individuals praising her response and skill to increase grace.

“THIS IS AN EMPLOYER. This. WOW. You’re amazing,” said one commenter.

“This is the most realistic, humanistic, and honest answer I’ve seen on this app,” one other person commented.

Saunders-Green described Ford as a “gentleman” and “just the nicest guy.”

“We’re just trying to do business in a very different way, the way I would like our society, our culture and other employers to behave,” Saunders-Green said. he saidadding that the corporate puts people before profits. “We are all human.”

She added that Ford immediately apologized for its behavior and that the corporate was handling the matter internally.

“We all struggle. We all have those awful moments where if someone were to film us, we’d look like fucking lunatics,” Saunders-Green said.

“Stay out of my DMs. I’m not firing him,” she continued.

Ford too Published public apology on Instagram, saying he “reacted badly” to the parking situation. To give more context, he emphasized that he only hit the automotive along with his body after the motive force hit him as he was parking. At that time, a female passenger within the vehicle began filming video, capturing his response.

He also condemned Danesh’s portrayal of the situation, saying he distorted the conflict and “created his own narrative that just went viral”, calling his methods “dangerous”.


This article was originally published on : atlantablackstar.com
Continue Reading
Advertisement

OUR NEWSLETTER

Subscribe Us To Receive Our Latest News Directly In Your Inbox!

We don’t spam! Read our privacy policy for more info.

Trending