Robbinsville, NJ girl pulled from school over racist slurs in bathroom

ROBBINSVILLE — The mother of a 13-year-old will not let her daughter return to class until school officials identify who wrote racist graffiti directed at the girl in two bathrooms.

Rajeeah Jones said in a Facebook Live video on Feb. 24 that her daughter began the year as a new student at the Pond Road Middle School. Jones was notified by the school that graffiti called her daughter the "N-word," she needed to go pick cotton and should "take her Black ass home."

"I was heated, I am still heated, I can't even believe that this type of stuff is still going on. It's crazy that parents are still teaching their kids to hate," Jones said.

The bathroom was locked so no one else could see it and she was assured that an investigation would take place, Jones said. She said she was given a victim notification form from police.

Another call for mom at work

Jones received a call a few days later from the school about graffiti found in another bathroom also aimed at her daughter.

"They found written on the wall my daughter is a (N-word) and she's a slave and all types of stuff. I asked them if I could get a picture of the stuff and they're telling me 'no you can't get a picture because it's still under investigation,'" Jones said. "Mind you they're telling me it's OK to leave her here in the school but how is that? Y'all don't have this under control."

It was the final straw for Jones letting her daughter remain in school.

“You think I’m going to leave my f**king daughter here? Absolutely not. Absof**kinglutely not.  Before I get locked up and do some s**t, before I do something really crazy I’m going to take my daughter out of here and let them do their little investigation," Jones said.

Conflict between two students?

School superintendent Brian Betze on Wednesday morning told New Jersey 101.5 an investigation was underway but declined additional comment.

He  told The Trentonian columnist LA Parker that there was a racial slur written on a stall and characterized it as a "conflict between two students." He said the district has no tolerance for such behavior.

Mayor David Fried also said the incident is under investigation by police.

"Children should never have to deal with a situation like this, especially in a school setting," Fried said. "I would like to remind our entire Robbinsville community that racism and bullying is never okay, and we will always address it. Schools should be a safe place, don’t underestimate the role parents have by having those real conversations with your children.”

Dan Alexander is a reporter for New Jersey 101.5. You can reach him at dan.alexander@townsquaremedia.com

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