Phoenix Williams, a 13-year-old black student at Bloomfield Hills Middle School, was subjected to bullying and racial harassment that included being repeatedly called the n-word, WDIV reports.
In fact, WDIV's Hank Winchester reports that on March 13 Phoenix, an honor roll student, got so fed up with it all that he used his phone to record two students harassing him and using the n-word aboard a school bus during a field trip.
Phoenix says at one point a fellow student said to another: "I'll give you a piece of candy if you call Phoenix a dirty n-----." Phoenix said one of the students grabbed his hat and threw to the back of the bus.
Earlier, Phoenix adds. classmates told racist jokes.
The teen finally told his mother, Shanari Williams, about the problem and she notified the school, asking that the tormenters be expelled, Winchester reports.
"We were told that was not going to happen," she told WDIV.
Supt. Robert J. Glass calls the behavior egregious and says he took appropriate action, but declines to give details, according to WDIV. Phoenix's mother believes one student was suspended for two weeks and another for two days. the station says.
Winchester reports that Phoenix's mother doesn't believe it's a safe environment for her son, who has been completing assignments from home. She wants to see if things change at the school.
A statement from the family of one suspended student says:
"As parents we are both embarrassed and disappointed by this inexcusable behavior by our son. Under no circumstances do we condone such behavior."
