Federal authorities are investigating allegations that a teacher made discriminatory comments toward a student in the Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District last year during a classroom discussion about international affairs.
The student’s parent filed a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights on Nov. 22, 2023 alleging that the child was mistreated due to her race and religious background, according to partially redated documents posted to the agency’s website.
“My daughter has been very upset, she’s been crying, and she is scared,” the parent wrote in the complaint. “I am worried about my daughter, who is young, being shut down by this teacher in a bullying way.”
In a letter to the district sent in August, the federal agency said that the allegations could potentially violate Title VI of the Civil Rights of 1964, which prohibits “discrimination based on race, color, and national origin (including shared ancestry).” The agency currently had more than 150 similar complaints that it is investigating nationwide — including a probe into alleged antisemitism and anti-Black graffiti found in a Commack school.
Following the latest complaint, an investigation was initiated, and the district superintendent, Michael Harrington, was notified of the inquiry.
The documents did not identify the parent, student, teacher, or school. The Bellmore-Merrick Central High School district has a half-dozen schools, including Grand Avenue and Merrick Avenue middle schools and John F. Kennedy, Sanford H. Calhoun, and Wellington C. Mepham high schools. The district declined to comment but was given a deadline of Sept. 15 to provide documentation in response to the inquiry.
This parent expressed concern that the problem has only gotten worse since the parent reached out to both the principal and superintendent about the matter. Federal officials warned the district not to retaliate against the student for filing the complaint.
“The class environment is unsafe and inhumane and creates a sense of isolation for [redacted] students,” the parent added in the complaint. “The agenda that the teacher is promoting is one-sided.”
