S. L'Gree
2004-09-07 20:47:44 UTC
"Starting last fall, Stephanie and three girlfriends began using the
expression, "TNB" among themselves. Their use of the acronym for "Typical
Nigger Behaviour" was leaked to some black girls, who started calling
Stephanie's group"white bitches" in retaliation." Shit, the mudmammies were
saying "white bitch" long before that. Welcome to "gorgeous mosaic of
multiculturalism," Dudley Doright.
STUDENTS LEARN PRICE OF RACIAL SLUR, The Gazette, January 27, 2004,
Montreal, Quebec
"Transferred to Other Schools. Teenagers who began taunts of black girls
complain penalty is too severe for offence." Karen Seidman, The Gazette
Grade 10 student Stephanie Lapierre now has a school file that brands her a
racist.
That file, she fears, will follow her wherever she goes, telling everyone
she was suspended and ten transferred from there Pierrefonds high school for
racist taunts.
But Stephanie says she is guilty only of some juvenile name-calling that
went too far - and she doesn't warrant the severe penalty she is paying.
"I know I made a mistake. I know we said stupid things, but I'm not a
racist." Said the 15-year-old, who was transferred at the Christmas break
from Pierrefonds Comprehensive High School to Macdonald High School in S te.
de Bellevue.
"We were treated like criminals. It is so unfair."
Although not at liberty to give details about the case, Pierrefonds
Comprehensive principal Cecil Humphries said the decision to transfer
students I never taken lightly and issues of safety were considered.
"Racism in a multicultural school is something we can't allow to happen." he
said in a recent interview. "It has to be handled in a fair and equitable
manner and I believe it was."
Starting last fall, Stephanie and three girlfriends began using the
expression, "TNB" among themselves. Their use of the acronym for "Typical
Nigger Behaviour" was leaked to some black girls, who started calling
Stephanie's group "white bitches" in retaliation.
Stephanie and her friends said they also named their volleyball team, "World
Wide White Pride." They soon started hearing about threats aimed at them:
frightened, they went to Humphries. By their admission, the girls lied and
said "TNB" stood for: "Typical Newfie Behaviour," because two of the girls
had family from Newfoundland.
Tensions mounted between the groups, however, and a friend of Stephanie was
attacked by one of the black girls.
The friend known as "Amy" (a pseudonym), said her attacker pushed her up
against a locker and demanded to know what TNB meant. "She pulled out a
chunk of my hair - I had a bald spot on my head," Amy recalled.
Amy said the girl received only a one-day in-school suspension. School
officials wouldn't confirm details of the incident.
When Stephanie showed up at school the next Monday, the message, "Steph
Lapierre is going 2 die" was written on the wall near her locker. The school
promised to investigate.
Stephanie and her friends said they were then called down to the office
individually and told to tell the truth or the police would be called in.
Each girl admitted what TNB really meant. All received five-day suspensions
but were told they would be allowed to write their exams.
"The precipitating cause for the suspension concerns Stephanie's involvement
in a planned, sustained and organized harassment campaign directed at her
peers," said a letter to Stephanie's parents from vice-principal Susan
Greenberg.
After that, Stephanie and Amy were told they would be transferred. They
still haven't been given an explanation why their two friends were allowed
to stay while doing community service.
Amy would not say which school she was transferred to.
"This can really ruin their reputations because it will follow them," said
Bill Lapierre, Stephanie's father. "She's tattooed a racist for the rest of
her school days. It's not like she was selling cocaine on the corner."
A lawyer for the Lapierres sent a letter to the school demanding Stephanie's
reinstatement and threatening to sue the school. The Lapierres want to know
why only two of the girls were transferred.
Remi Poliquin, director of legal affairs for the Lester B. Pearson, School
Board responded that the school "has the legal authority to suspend the
student in question."
Stephanie's mother, Susan, said her daughter is always crying and hasn't'
been eating or sleeping well. "They're making an example out these girls,"
she said. "I'm not condoning what they've done but they don't deserve the
penalty."
One of Stephanie's teachers said she was a good, conscientious student who
was never in trouble. Amy boasted the highest average in her grade.
"All I want is to be reinstated at that school." Stephanie said, "It broke
my heart to leave my teachers."
expression, "TNB" among themselves. Their use of the acronym for "Typical
Nigger Behaviour" was leaked to some black girls, who started calling
Stephanie's group"white bitches" in retaliation." Shit, the mudmammies were
saying "white bitch" long before that. Welcome to "gorgeous mosaic of
multiculturalism," Dudley Doright.
STUDENTS LEARN PRICE OF RACIAL SLUR, The Gazette, January 27, 2004,
Montreal, Quebec
"Transferred to Other Schools. Teenagers who began taunts of black girls
complain penalty is too severe for offence." Karen Seidman, The Gazette
Grade 10 student Stephanie Lapierre now has a school file that brands her a
racist.
That file, she fears, will follow her wherever she goes, telling everyone
she was suspended and ten transferred from there Pierrefonds high school for
racist taunts.
But Stephanie says she is guilty only of some juvenile name-calling that
went too far - and she doesn't warrant the severe penalty she is paying.
"I know I made a mistake. I know we said stupid things, but I'm not a
racist." Said the 15-year-old, who was transferred at the Christmas break
from Pierrefonds Comprehensive High School to Macdonald High School in S te.
de Bellevue.
"We were treated like criminals. It is so unfair."
Although not at liberty to give details about the case, Pierrefonds
Comprehensive principal Cecil Humphries said the decision to transfer
students I never taken lightly and issues of safety were considered.
"Racism in a multicultural school is something we can't allow to happen." he
said in a recent interview. "It has to be handled in a fair and equitable
manner and I believe it was."
Starting last fall, Stephanie and three girlfriends began using the
expression, "TNB" among themselves. Their use of the acronym for "Typical
Nigger Behaviour" was leaked to some black girls, who started calling
Stephanie's group "white bitches" in retaliation.
Stephanie and her friends said they also named their volleyball team, "World
Wide White Pride." They soon started hearing about threats aimed at them:
frightened, they went to Humphries. By their admission, the girls lied and
said "TNB" stood for: "Typical Newfie Behaviour," because two of the girls
had family from Newfoundland.
Tensions mounted between the groups, however, and a friend of Stephanie was
attacked by one of the black girls.
The friend known as "Amy" (a pseudonym), said her attacker pushed her up
against a locker and demanded to know what TNB meant. "She pulled out a
chunk of my hair - I had a bald spot on my head," Amy recalled.
Amy said the girl received only a one-day in-school suspension. School
officials wouldn't confirm details of the incident.
When Stephanie showed up at school the next Monday, the message, "Steph
Lapierre is going 2 die" was written on the wall near her locker. The school
promised to investigate.
Stephanie and her friends said they were then called down to the office
individually and told to tell the truth or the police would be called in.
Each girl admitted what TNB really meant. All received five-day suspensions
but were told they would be allowed to write their exams.
"The precipitating cause for the suspension concerns Stephanie's involvement
in a planned, sustained and organized harassment campaign directed at her
peers," said a letter to Stephanie's parents from vice-principal Susan
Greenberg.
After that, Stephanie and Amy were told they would be transferred. They
still haven't been given an explanation why their two friends were allowed
to stay while doing community service.
Amy would not say which school she was transferred to.
"This can really ruin their reputations because it will follow them," said
Bill Lapierre, Stephanie's father. "She's tattooed a racist for the rest of
her school days. It's not like she was selling cocaine on the corner."
A lawyer for the Lapierres sent a letter to the school demanding Stephanie's
reinstatement and threatening to sue the school. The Lapierres want to know
why only two of the girls were transferred.
Remi Poliquin, director of legal affairs for the Lester B. Pearson, School
Board responded that the school "has the legal authority to suspend the
student in question."
Stephanie's mother, Susan, said her daughter is always crying and hasn't'
been eating or sleeping well. "They're making an example out these girls,"
she said. "I'm not condoning what they've done but they don't deserve the
penalty."
One of Stephanie's teachers said she was a good, conscientious student who
was never in trouble. Amy boasted the highest average in her grade.
"All I want is to be reinstated at that school." Stephanie said, "It broke
my heart to leave my teachers."