An East County mother and a local civil rights leader have both filed complaints with a San Diego-area school district, saying ongoing racial tensions have led to a racial slur painted on her car. NBC 7’s Rory Devine reports.
An East County mother and a local civil rights leader have each filed complaints with a San Diego-area school district, saying ongoing racial tensions have led to a racial slur painted on her vehicle.
Shelly Monroe, whose four children attend Cajon Park Elementary School in Santee, told NBC 7 she has filed a complaint with the Santee School District regarding ongoing racial comments and harassment. Monroe claims 15 to 16 different, racially-fueled incidents have occurred since October 2014, involving her children.
“Hell, it’s been like hell,” said Monroe.
The most recent incident happened Friday afternoon, when she says her SUV was defaced with a slur while parked in the school parking lot.
Monroe and a friend left to do an errand in her friend’s car and she claims when they returned to the school parking lot, they found a racial slur on the vehicle.
Though NBC 7 has photos of the car in Monroe’s garage, we cannot verify when the slur was written.
Dr. Cathy A. Pierce, Superintendent of the Santee School District, said the district is investigating complaints made by the mother prior to the alleged vandalism. Since the complaints are confidential, she cannot discuss any specifics.
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According to the school’s log of complaints from Monroe, some of the complaints include at least one instance of profanity and another time a classmate flipped off Monroe’s daughter. Monroe also claims a classmate once said to her daughter, “no offense, I don’t like black people.”
“Because they’re being harassed, they’re being bullied, they’re having people throw things at them, they’re having people call them n-----, it’s just not right,” Monroe said.
Rev. Shane Harris local civil rights activist with the National Action Network has also filed a complaint with the district.
San Diego County Sheriff Sgt. William Amavisca said they have no reports of a racial slur being left on a car at the elementary school over the past few weeks.
Monroe said she contacted sheriff’s department but learned that unless she knew who did the vandalism it may not be worth her efforts to file a report.
Amavisca did say, however, that officials have been called out in light of parents protesting at the school three times since last February. They were called to the scene only to “keep the peace,” he said.
