Parents speak with school leaders after 11-year-old daughter gets bullied for her skin color
WITH THE THANKSGIVING TRAVEL
FORECAST.
>> A MOTHER'S LOVE KNOWS NO
BOUNDS. WHAT A JOHNSTON COUNTY
WOMAN'S MIDDLE SCHOOL DAUGHTER
WAS BULLIED AT SCHOOL OVER THE
COLOR OF HER SKIN. SHE WAS
THERE FOR SUPPORT AND A LOT
OF LOVE. HELLO AND THANKS FOR
JOINING US. I'M GERALD OWENS
AND I'M DEBRA MORGAN. TODAY WE
SPOKE AGAIN WITH THAT MOTHER
AFTER SHE MET WITH THE MINISTER
8 ERS AT THE SCHOOL IN CLAYTON.
>> NOW THE FAMILY HAS NEW
CONCERNS. WRAL'S ADAM OWENS
IS LIVE OUTSIDE RIVERWOOD
MIDDLE SCHOOL. AND ADAM, YOU
SPOKE WITH THEM. WHAT THE
GIRL'S MOTHER TODAY. WHAT DID
SHE TELL YOU?
>> GERALD AND DEBORAH, THE GIRL
CAME FORWARD AFTER MONTHS OF
DEALING WITH THIS BULLYING HERE
AT THE MIDDLE SCHOOL BEHIND ME
NOW THAT SHE HAS COME FORWARD
WITH WHAT SHE WAS DEALING WITH
FOR ALL THOSE MONTHS. THERE
ARE SOME NEW CONCERNS,
ACCORDING TO THE FAMILY, THE
POSSIBILITY THERE COULD BE
RETALIATION FOR SPEAKING UP.
DO HOOPER. GOT A MESSAGE FROM
HER 11 YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER THAT
CRUSHED HER AND PEOPLE KEEP
MAKING JOKES ABOUT ME SAYING
FROM AFRICA.
>> BECAUSE I'M SUPER BLACK
DELAY HOOPER HAD BEEN BULLIED
AT RIVERWOOD MIDDLE SCHOOL IN
CLAYTON FOR MONTHS ALL OVER
THE COLOR OF HER SKIN THAT FUND
TO BACK TO LET THEM PLAY.
KEEP THE DAY AFTER WRAL TOLD
HER STORY, THE GIRL STILL DID
NOT WANT TO GO TO SCHOOL.
>> SHE FELT AS S THE KIDS WERE
GOING BLAME HER FOR THE BUOYS
IN TROUBLE. AND SHE DIDN'T WANT
TO GO.
>> HER MOTHER SHOWED US THIS
MESSAGE SENT TO HER DAUGHTER
POSTED TO SOCIAL MEDIA. IT SAYS
I DON'T THINK YOU SHOULD COME
TO SCHOOL TOMORROW. A LOT OF
PEOPLE ARE MAD AND THE END
DELAY A DID GO TO SCHOOL.
>> THEY WANT TO LEAVE OR I YOU
KNOW, I WON. I WANTED TO BE
STRONG. INITIALLY HOOPER SAYS
SCHOOL LEADERS SUGGESTED LEAVE
CLASS EARLY TO AVOID THE
BULLIES OR TAKE OTHER COURSES.
>> SHE FELT LIKE SHE WAS BEING
PUNISHED. DOCTOR KAMALA ZELLE
IS A PSYCHO THERAPIST. ANYONE
NEEDS TO BE REMOVED FROM THE
CLASSROOM TO BE THE PEOPLE WHO
ARE DOING THE WRONG THING.
SHE SAYS STUDENTS NEED TO BE
EDUCATED ON THE DAMAGE.
BULLYING CAN CAUSE THOSE THINGS
BE INTERNALIZED BY GET OUT AND
IT WILL AFFECT THEIR MENTAL
HEALTH. COOPER MET WITH SCHOOL
OFFICIALS AND SAYS THEY
PROMISED TO TALK TO STUDENTS
ABOUT BULLYING AND SHE SAYS
THEY HAVE A SYSTEM TO
ANONYMOUSLY REPORT THESE
INCIDENTS.
>> AFTER WE FIRST REPORTED THIS
STORY, WRAL VIEWERS REACHED
OUT WITH SUPPORT FOR MANY
SAYING SHE IS BEAUTIFUL AND
WHAT HAPPENED TO HER.
>> IS WRONG.
>> AND THERE WERE A LOT OF
SUPPORT OF POSTS THERE. HOOPER
SAYS THAT SHE HAS NOT BEEN TOLD
BY SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS ABOUT
WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO THE
STUDENTS WHO ARE DOING THE
BULLYING IN THIS SITUATION.
BUT THERE IS MORE POSITIVE NEWS
FOR THIS LITTLE GIRL TO REPORT
THIS AFTERNOON THIS EVENING.
WE HAVE LEARNED THAT THE TOWN
OF PITTSBORO WILL BE HOLDING
THEIR CHRISTMAS TREE LIGHTING
SAYS CELEBRATION THIS WEEKEND.
AND WE'VE TOLD THAT SHE HAS
BEEN INVITED TO FLIP THE SWITCH