11-Year-Old Caliyah James Called Racist Slurs by Classmates
*Caliyah James, an 11-year-old African American student at Frank E. Woodruff Elementary School in Bellflower, California, was targeted in a racist bullying incident. Fellow students called her the N-word, a monkey, and a slave. They also told her to “go back to Africa.”
The students involved were not African American. The incident has sparked outrage and demands for change across Los Angeles County and beyond.
Family and Activist Najee Ali Take a Stand
Caliyah’s grandmother, Tamelia Price Millsap, joined civil rights activist Najee Ali to confront the school. The emotional confrontation with school staff was captured on video and quickly went viral.
Ali is the senior organizer for Los Angeles Metropolitan Churches and a longtime civil rights leader in L.A.
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“Those demands to protect Black children were successful! It took less than 24 hours,” Ali said in an email to EURweb.com, the first media outlet to report on the incident.
Principal Responds with Immediate Policy Changes
Dr. Kieu Trang Nguyen, principal of Woodruff Elementary, personally called Caliyah’s grandmother after the incident. She pledged to take immediate steps to protect Caliyah and other African American students.
Dr. Nguyen has committed to policy changes designed to create a safer, more inclusive environment for all students of color.
“The Caliyah Experience” Becomes a New Anti-Bullying Program
The school will launch a new weekly program called “The Caliyah Experience.” Students will learn how to treat Black and brown classmates with respect and kindness. The goal is to stop bullying before it starts.
“The Caliyah Experience” is now the first public policy curriculum named after an African American child in Los Angeles County school history.
New Parents Group: “Leave Your Hatred at Home”
Dr. Nguyen will also fund a new parent group called “Leave Your Hatred at Home.” The group will be for Black and brown parents to meet and support one another in the fight against racism in schools.
This is part of a broader plan to keep families involved in shaping a better school culture.
Extra Monitoring for Caliyah to Prevent More Bullying
Principal Nguyen will personally monitor Caliyah at school. This step was taken to ensure her safety and to stop any future bullying before it begins.
The swift changes show how powerful a united community can be in protecting children from racism.
Najee Ali Thanks the Public for Support
“Thank everyone who called or sent an email to the school demanding changes to protect African American children. We’re talking mission accomplished on the same day!” said Ali. He credited the public’s rapid response and pressure for the school’s quick action. Without the support, he said, these changes would not have happened.
Leaders Who Helped Make This Victory Happen
“We commend the Los Angeles County Commission on Human Relations Executive Director Robin S. Toma, Cheryl Branch CEO of Los Angeles Metropolitan Churches, and Jonathan Moseley, Western Regional Director of the Los Angeles National Action Network for their support in helping achieve this historic victory. What we accomplished yesterday demonstrated the success of LA vs Hate,” said Ali.
Using This Moment to Help More Students
Najee Ali says this is just the beginning. He plans to use the strategy they applied here as a model to fight racism in other schools.
“We intend to use our organizing as a model to help make changes to end racial hate and bullying in other school districts in Los Angeles County,” Ali said.
Thanks to community strength and action, Caliyah’s pain has become a moment of progress that may change the lives of many more students.
RELATED NEWS ON EURWEB.COM: Family Demands Principal’s Resignation Over Racial Bullying at Frank E. Woodruff Elementary in SoCal – Presser Set for Tuesday Morning
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