Monroe parents say racism directed at 11-year-old forced them to remove him from class
MONROE, Wash. - As the Monroe School District publicly addressed a racist viral video shot at a high school during school hours, an 11-year-old in the district was transitioning to remote learning because of his own racist run-ins at the school.
"He started to be called the n-word to the point where he thought it was normal," said Craig Crecelius, as his wife wiped away tears. "He broke down and told my wife about what was happening – and he said, ‘I don’t know, maybe it’s just a thing kids say.’"
The Crecelius family told FOX 13 that they are running out of options to protect their son, and while incidents caught on camera – like the one that occurred at the high school earlier this month – garner more attention others are swept under the rug.
"I think they just hope we stop talking about it and that it goes away," said the 11-year-old’s father. "That’s really what’s pushed me to not stop talking about it."
When asked about the racism at the high school, Monroe Public School responded via a public information officer with a letter that was previously released to parents – specific questions went unanswered. When questioned about an 11-year-old driven from in-person learning, the district stopped responding altogether.
According to that student’s parents, it’s a common feeling. They told FOX 13 that they even showed up for a follow-up meeting with the principal of their son’s school only to find no one else had showed up. They note they received an apology and a re-scheduled meeting.
RELATED: Family looking to leave Monroe following racial harassment, assault
A.J. Crecelius, the boy's mother, said she felt like the district made their family choose between her son’s safety and his education.
"Now they say they’re not set up for virtual, so that’s not a long-term solution," said Craig Crecelius.
"Again, with that comment, it felt like we’re being pushed out," added A.J. Crecelius. "Instead of, ‘How was he doing, what can we do?’ It was more, ‘Just so you know, this isn’t something we’re set up to do long-term so what are your plans.’"
The Crecelius family hasn’t decided how they’ll manage their son’s schooling moving forward. They said he’s devastated to not be attending but is also not mentally prepared to go back.
In the meantime, the Crecelius family is working with the Monroe Equity Council to share their story. They’ll be among the 10-plus person panel sharing personal stories of past, and present, students within the Monroe School District that have dealt with racism.
The goal of the event is to discuss real-world situations and to propose ideas of what change looks like – and how the community can heal.
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