A white student in Kansas has been charged with a felony after he was caught on camera punching and calling a Black female student the N-word on Nov. 15.
The Kansas City Star reported that Johnson County District Court officials charged the 15-year-old male aggressor with a felony aggravated assault and bodily harm for attacking the Black female student at Shawnee Mission East High School, which is based in Prairie Village, Kansas.
This wasn’t the first time the teenager had found himself in trouble with the law. He got into trouble in June after being accused of aggravated battery.
Court records obtained by The Star revealed the suspect was also charged with two felonies and a misdemeanor from a separate incident in June where he was accused of “aggravated battery” and “aggravated assault and battery.” Court officials held an emergency hearing to review the incident on Nov. 29, and the teen was ordered to be held in custody.
The victim, who is a sophomore at the school, said she was standing up for a classmate whom another student referred to as a slave when the white male aggressor hurled the N-word at her. She had no prior interaction with the violent student prior to the attack.
According to cell phone video footage, after the victim confronted the white female student about her inappropriate slave remark in the school hallway, the white male aggressor could be heard saying, “Man, shut the fuck up,” as he walked by.
The victim turned around to ask who said the comment, and the 15-year-old male boldly says, “Me, (N-word) me,” as he drops his belongings and begins storming toward the Black female student. The two teens trade a few words before the white pupil pushes the victim, forcing the Black female to defend herself. She lands a few punches on the 15-year-old aggressor, but he quickly overpowers her.
According to the report, the victim suffered a broken nose, a swollen jaw and cuts to the lip from the assault. The Black student and the white assailant were also suspended following the altercation. Ultimately, the victim was proud that she stood up for herself.
“I think I did the right thing. I wouldn’t change a thing about what I did. He put his hands on me first. It wasn’t right. They suspended me for no reason,” the victim told the Kansas City Star during an interview.
Racism has been a recurring problem at Shawnee Mission East High School.
On Nov. 27, about 100 students at Shawnee Mission East High School staged a walkout to protest the school’s mishandling of the situation. Students say this isn’t the first time that racism has occurred at the Prairie Village-based school.
“It’s been going on for so long,” a student identified as Charlize told the Kansas City Defender after the protest. “Most of the people involved are seniors or upperclassmen. It’s been going on for so long. We’ve reported it and talked about it, but nothing has happened.”
Jaxton, a Black student, echoed similar frustrations. “Everyone is equally frustrated and angry. It should have never gotten to this point. They are very quiet about it. The administrators won’t voice that this is wrong. Racist students never get in serious trouble. We’re tired of trying to confide in people and administrators who aren’t doing anything for us and won’t help us.”
Officials at the Prairie Village-based school reportedly sent an e-mail to students after the incident, in which they did not appear to denounce the white aggressor’s violent act, the Kansas City Defender noted.
“As a school and a community, we know that in order for students to learn, they must first feel safe and supported,” the e-mail read. “Shawnee Mission East teachers, administrators, and staff will continue to do our absolute best to help every student who enters our school feel safe and supported so they can be at their very best…the words we use matter. Racially charged language, insults, and slurs will not be tolerated in our school.”
The white student is scheduled to attend a hearing for the altercation Dec. 6.