Image of the interior of Frontier Middle School in the Alpine School District. Photo Credit: Lindsay Aerts
EAGLE MOUNTAIN, Utah — The mother of an Eagle Mountain student in middle school says her son, who is Black, was the victim of racist bullying on a school bus recently. And the video was reportedly shared to the social media platform Snapchat.
The clip shows several white kids pushing Frontier Middle School 7th grader Elijah, yelling at him, and poking him over and over. Elijah’s mom says this 24-second clip is just a snippet of a much longer bus surveillance video.
According to his mother, who did not want to share her name, this isn’t the first time Elijah’s been bullied for his skin color.
“They were talking so dirty, to him” the mother told KSL NewsRadio. “They keep touching him and he (Elijah) kept telling them don’t touch me. And they keep doing it.”
The mother said she hopes her son’s story teaches parents, to teach their kids, that this is not okay.
“I want to make an example. I don’t want another black kid (to go) through what Elijah been through.”
She continued, “When someone bullying you, they don’t have to beat you. But mentally, they (did) that to my son.”
Elijah hasn’t been back to school this week. His mother said she’s now worried about his mental health. She recalled a time recently when she caught him crying in his bed.
He asked her, “I’m ugly mom…do I look like a monkey?”
Elijah’s mom said she understands the nature of “kids being kids,” but said that the incident on the bus, was not that.
“If you take time to record it, and then go home (and) posted it, that’s when you know what you’re doing.”
Elijah’s mother said the school’s principal has been very understanding, visting them, and sending a laptop home so Elijah could do school work from home. She said she has not heard personally from the Alpine School District. They did, however, release the following statement:
Alpine School District quickly began an investigation upon being made aware of an incident on a school bus. We were saddened to see the video. This type of behavior will not be tolerated. Appropriate action will be taken.
The District’s bullying policy and non-discrimination procedures are being followed to ensure the situation is investigated and addressed immediately. Law enforcement was contacted and has conducted an investigation. Alpine is committed to providing a safe and secure learning environment for all students.