Kila Posey, a parent whose child attends Mary Lin Elementary School in Atlanta, filed a federal complaint with the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights, after discovering some classes were separated based on race.
According to Posey, the school’s principal, Sharyn Briscoe, was placing black and white students in separate classes with separate teachers.
The principal, who is also black, claimed she thought she was “doing what was best for all students.”
“First, it was just disbelief that I was having this conversation in 2020 with a person that looks just like me — a black woman,” Posey told WSB-TV. “It’s segregating classrooms. You cannot segregate classrooms. You can’t do it.”
According to Posey, she made the discovery when she requested her child be placed in a different class because the teacher would be a good fit.
When Posey made the request, Briscoe responded, “That’s not one of the Black classes.” After Posey asked for clarification, Briscoe doubled down on her remarks. She said, “Yes. I have decided that I’m going to place all of the Black students in two classes.”
Furthermore, the concerned parent then recorded a phone call with an assistant principal, complaining about the decision. The administrator reiterated that it was the principal’s decision.
After reports surfaced of the questionable move, the school district presiding over the elementary school claimed to condemn segregation and promised that “appropriate actions were taken to address the issue.”
A black family has filed a federal complaint against Mary Lin Elementary (@APSLinRockets) after it was discovered the principal had been segregating the students based on race. Operating on CRT, school believed black kids would do better without whites. https://t.co/0wcbr19UnJ
— Andy Ngô 🏳️🌈 (@MrAndyNgo) August 11, 2021
“Atlanta public schools does not condone the assigning of students to classrooms based on race. The district conducted a review of the allegations. Appropriate actions were taken to address the issue and the matter was closed,” the statement by the Atlanta School District said.
The Department of Education is continuing to investigate the incident.
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Cooper Moran is a reporter for The Star News Network. Follow Cooper on Twitter. Email tips to [email protected]
Photo “Principal Sharyn Briscoe” by APStv.
