Lawyer says son was unfairly suspended after scuffle with student who called him ‘n-word’

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A Pennsylvania lawyer says his son was suspended from his school in suburban Pittsburgh for what he says was retaliation after being provoked when he was repeatedly called a racial slur. But he feels the student who allegedly called his son the n-word did not receive satisfactory punishment

Blaine Jones, a criminal defense attorney, told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that his 15-year-old son, a ninth grade honors student at South Fayette High School, was accosted during his lunch period on Wednesday by a white student sitting at the same table.

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Jones’ son allegedly grabbed the student after he was called the slur three times.

“My son said to him, What did you say?’” Mr. Jones said. “He told him, ‘I called you the n-word. What are you going to do about it?’

Jones and his wife were told after two meetings with school officials the punishment would be “fair and equitable and commensurate with what happened.” The actual punishment was a three-day suspension.

The two meetings were with the principal of the school and Supt. Kenneth Lockette. A third meeting was set to be with district officials prior to the suspension, which frustrated Jones.

“I get the black letter of the law and the theoretical underpinnings,” said Jones, who has been an attorney for 15 years. “But there’s also the spirit of the law and a common-sense approach.

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“The administration failed to use that and instead took the safe and easy way out,” he said. “That’s what’s so disappointing.”

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Lockette said the punishment is consistent with district policy. The South Fayette School District, located about 25 minutes outside of Pittsburgh, has a Black student population of about 2.4 percent, the Post-Gazette says.

It is not completely clear if the white student was ever punished. Jones says he has spoken to the attorney for that boy’s and was told he was suspended, but is unsure. A statement from the superintendent says in part: “The district does not publicly discuss student issues.”

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Jones stated this is not the first time his son dealt with a racial incident from this same student. He told CBS Pittsburgh that his son also received an image on his cell phone of a Black man eating raw chicken and another or a monkey.

“Violence is never the answer, but at what point do you say enough is enough and you have to stand up to the bully. You only use that N-word for one reason … well, two reasons, [to] terrorize and to humiliate and that was the intent here,” Jones said. Previously, his son ignored the racial remarks, however, the most recent incident was different.

“As a Black person in America, racism is what you deal with,” said Jones who has also dealt with racial discrimination as a student in the nearby Moon Area School District. “You ignore the ignorance, ignore the evil, ignore the hate and be a good person.”

The suspension was upheld in a meeting between Jones and Lockette and now appears to be headed to court. As many as 100 different families have contacted Jones to relate their experiences with other racial incidents and how the district handled them, the Post-Gazette reported.

Jones told CBS Pittsburgh that he plans to take the case up with the local school board and the Pennsylvania Board of Education.