Photo Courtesy of CBS Dallas- Summer Smith (SeMarion Humphrey's mother) at local press conference.
A Plano, Texas family is outraged after a viral video of a 13-year-old Black boy was allegedly targeted by racist bullies from his school. The Dallas Morning News reported that SeMarion Humphrey was the victim of numerous hate crimes after attending a sleepover with classmates from Haggard Middle School last month. Now, the Plano Independent School District (ISD) and the Plano Police Department are investigating.
In the video, children terrorize Humphrey by smacking and reportedly forcing him to drink urine. The mini-white supremacists could be heard laughing throughout the footage. The boy’s mother, Summer Smith, told the publication that they also shot him with BB guns and called him “n****r.”
“How horrible must you be. This is not a prank. This is beyond bullying. You are evil. They are evil,” Smith said during a press conference on Friday.
Smith maintained that she had reported incidents of bullying previously, and Plano ISD did nothing.
“When you say there’s nothing you can do, what do you mean exactly? Because it seems to me that there’s plenty you can do…” she told CBS Dallas. “It was premeditated and obvious that SeMarion was only invited for their pure entertainment.”
The school district said it “does not condone bullying, harassment, and/or threats against any student,” the Dallas Morning News reported.
The Plano ISD further explained.
“Due to legal restrictions regarding the confidentiality of student information, Plano ISD is unable to release specific student information, but it can confirm appropriate measures were promptly taken to protect the victim and to investigate the allegations.”
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“It is the District’s hope and expectation that all parties work collaboratively to create a climate of mutual respect even in the midst of disagreement.”
On March 5, protesters gathered outside the Plano Police Department to demand justice for Humphrey. Change.org launched a petition calling for the Plano ISD to take action. The organization has accumulated close to 110,000 signatures from Haggard Middle School parents, Plano residents and strangers who want justice for the boy.
Haggard Middle School’s student population consists of 53% white, 9% Black, 21% Hispanic, and 10% Asian students.
The administration comprises almost 77% white, 8.9% Black, 10.7% Hispanic, and 1.8% Asian teachers.