蜜桃影视

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For too many students, school and sports are not a refuge; they are sites of identity-based trauma. 

of all children of color nationwide have experienced racism in school, and nearly of LGBTQ+ youth have been bullied. These abuses have far-reaching consequences, as they with poor mental health, increased suicide risk and substance use, especially for youth of color and transgender students.

Now, as the Trump administration dismantles civil rights protections 鈥� labeling diversity, equity and inclusion efforts as 鈥渋llegal鈥� and gutting civil rights protections 鈥� students are being left in the lurch.

In Massachusetts, which tops national education rankings and prides itself on progressive values, brutal identity-based harassment still exists. Disturbing incidents across the state underscore the extent of this problem:

• A Black middle schooler in Melrose was called the N鈥憌ord and physically attacked by classmates. Another Black fifth grader at the same school was taunted with racial epithets such as 鈥渕onkey鈥� and 鈥渁pe,鈥� and had her braided hair 鈥� an expression of her cultural identity 鈥� cut off in the classroom by white students.
• A Black eighth grader in Brookline was called racially derogatory , such as 鈥渃otton picker,鈥� and was physically assaulted, pinned to the ground while a white student placed his knee on his neck, yelling, 鈥淕eorge Floyd! George Floyd!鈥�
• Two Black sisters in Millbury were called the , 鈥渕onkey,鈥� 鈥渦gly鈥� and 鈥淏lack as fuck,鈥� and were told to 鈥済o back鈥� to their 鈥渕otherland.鈥�
• Students in Southwick conducted a mock 鈥渟lave auction鈥� on a Black classmate.

Identity-based harassment isn鈥檛 confined to classrooms or cafeterias, but also happens on the field, court and rink. Just last month, Black girls on a high school basketball team were the subject of viral racist social media referring to them as 鈥渉ood rats鈥� and 鈥渧iolent animals,鈥� and calling for a return of segregation. And following the growing visibility and popularity of the television series 鈥淗eated Rivalry鈥� depicting gay hockey players, there has been a troubling in reports of bullying, harassment and use of homophobic language within school-affiliated hockey programs.聽

Athletics is a space where young people can build self-esteem and learn life lessons like teamwork and fair play, but that opportunity is being corrupted by harmful stereotypes and bigotry.

Schools and associations鈥� failure to intervene meaningfully and protect their students from identity-based harassment has exacerbated these incidents. When institutions fail to protect students, the message is clear: Their safety and dignity are not priorities.

But we can send a different message. Lawyers for Civil Rights has filed civil rights complaints against schools for failing to protect students. We filed a lawsuit against the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association seeking records regarding incidents of discrimination and harassment to better protect youth athletes from identity-based bullying.

And we brought the urgent issue of LGBTQ+ bullying in athletics to the attention of the Massachusetts Attorney General鈥檚 office. Legal action increases the stakes and demands reform.

But avenues for accountability are narrowing. With several offices of the U.S. Department of Education鈥檚 Office for Civil Rights now , including the Boston office, students have fewer pathways to seek relief. 

One of the remaining avenues is pursuing a civil rights complaint with the Massachusetts Attorney General鈥檚 office. The attorney general is currently considering investigations into certain public schools, and we need stronger protections to ensure schools are held accountable. We also need institutions like the athletic association to take meaningful steps to ensure that school sports are safe and inclusive for all students. 

The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education can strengthen enforcement of the state鈥檚 existing anti-bullying law by requiring more robust incident reporting and mandating timely investigations. And the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination should prioritize student civil rights complaints, ensuring that the closure of the federal Office for Civil Rights in Boston does not leave students without a meaningful remedy.

Our children should not have to question whether their schools see them, value them or will protect them. And at a moment when the federal government has abandoned these commitments, progressive states like Massachusetts must step up. To remain a true leader in education, we must stand firmly with students.

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