Two children at a Redlands elementary school faced racial harassment, discrimination and teasing for months, resulting in them being diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, their mother alleged in a lawsuit filed against the school district.
Other children called the kids “tar ball” and “mud,” according to the lawsuit. In one incident, one of the children allegedly received a note from a classmate telling him that his skin was “as black as your future.”
The lawsuit, filed against the Redlands Unified School District in March, alleges school officials and administrators did little to address concerns or implement measures to prevent future incidents despite multiple complaints.
A district spokesperson declined to comment on specific allegations, citing pending litigation.
“While we cannot comment on the specific allegations contained in the lawsuit, Redlands Unified takes concerns involving discrimination, harassment, bullying, and student well-being seriously,” the spokesperson said in a statement. “When concerns are brought forward, the District follows established procedures to review the matter, provide appropriate support, and take action consistent with District police and applicable law.”
The lawsuit was filed by Daphne Hawkins on behalf of two of her children who attended Mariposa Elementary School.
The alleged incidents and racist comments occurred on the playground and inside the classroom, according to the suit. Among them was a December 2024 lesson about Christmas that featured Zwarte Piet, or Black Pete, a controversial Dutch holiday character known as a helper to Santa Claus who is depicted with exaggerated, racist physical features — including large red lips. The character is often portrayed by white actors in blackface.
According to an initial claim filed with the district by Hawkins’ attorney in July, one of the mother’s children — the only Black child in the class — was singled out to “model the costume.”
“The classroom lesson normalized and reinforced racial stereotypes and caused the Hawkins Children to feel singled out and demeaned on the basis of race, prompting classmates to stare, laugh, and subsequently reference the imagery in teasing comments,” the lawsuit alleges.
Hawkins alleges in the lawsuit that her children were subjected to bullying and repeated racial harassment by students in the classroom, hallways and playground, and that such incidents escalated after the Christmas lesson.
Several weeks after the lesson, in January 2025, the lawsuit alleges, one of the children received a note from another student during class that read, “Your skin is as black as your future.”
Afterward, according to the suit, the school allegedly failed to implement a written response plan and did not separate the children.
The next month, the suit alleges, one of the children was told by another classmate, “You should be in a Black African monkey show.”
The racist comment was overheard by students and reported to school staff, but the lawsuit alleges school officials did little to address it.
In an incident in March 2025, a playground supervisor heard a student telling one of the children, “Your skin is the color of dog food,”
The suit alleges the student who made the comment was told to “be nice” but that there was no documented discipline, parent conference, separating measures or monitoring.
“The district has really taken zero accountability for their actions even though there’s a definite pattern of ignoring situations like this,” said Willie W. Williams, an attorney representing Hawkins.
Williams said his clients reached out to district officials repeatedly, but Redlands Unified has not moved to address their concerns.
“The district has not done anything specific to address the incidents or remedy the situation with the family and kids,” Williams said in a brief interview. “Essentially, the district has stonewalled any remedies for the situation.”
Since the incidents, the two children have been diagnosed with PTSD and are undergoing treatment, Williams said.
Williams declined to share whether the children are still attending schools in the district.
“The kids have been devastated and are now still emotionally impacted by what’s occurred,” Williams said. “We hope things do get better.”
After the incidents, according to the suit, the children began to tell their parents and teachers they were getting stomachaches and anxiety before school, and avoiding recess.
Hawkins, her husband and supporters spoke out about several of the incidents, including in emails and meetings with school officials. The lawsuit claims that, in letters sent in April, the school district reported investigating the incidents and substantiating the events.
The parents also spoke out during a March 2025 board meeting.
“These are not just words,” Hawkins said during the meeting. “These are attacks on our children’s dignity and identity.”
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