Black Oak Park middle school students sent home with bags of cotton after slavery lesson: lawsuit

OAK PARK, Ill. (WLS) -- A federal lawsuit alleging racial discrimination toward two young Black students has been filed against the Oak Park Elementary School District.

One of those students spoke exclusively to ABC7 Chicago, and said a history teacher sent her home with a bag of cotton.

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Autumn Shelton said her history teacher only gave the bags of cotton to the Black students in the class after a lesson on slavery.

That was one of many incidents alleged in the federal lawsuit filed by her mother, claiming Shelton and her sister have experienced years of racism in the school district.

"It was dirty, like a dirty bag of cotton," Shelton said. "She let us pick it or clean it for the rest of the class period."

At first, 13-year-old and Percy Julian Middle School student Shelton said she didn't fully understand the significance of the cotton, until she brought a bag of it home to her mother. She just knew she didn't feel good about it.

"I always feel targeted at this school; like, it's attention on me because I'm a Black girl," Shelton said.

Her mom posted a picture of the bag on Facebook last April, creating an uproar from parents in the Oak Park Elementary School District.

But, in the federal civil lawsuit against the district, the alleged incident was just one of many.

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"When it was happening to us, nobody believed it. But, the more they get away with, the more stuff they do," Shelton's mom Candace Ward said.

The suit alleges racial discrimination toward Shelton and her younger sister, Serenity, dating back for years, including a moment in fifth grade, when Shelton said a white student called her sister a racial slur.

"My mom brought it to the school, and they just said it like it was nothing. They just brushed it off," Shelton said.

In a statement, the school district said, "District 97 is aware of a lawsuit recently filed by a District parent. The District has, at all times, remained committed to providing an educational environment that is equitable, positive, safe, and free of discrimination against any student, staff, parent, and/or guardian. While the District does not publicly comment on pending legal matters, the District disputes the allegations that are made in this lawsuit and intends to defend itself and its employees against these claims."

"I don't feel my kids are safe," Ward said.

The single mom of four said it would be financially difficult to move out of the school district.

But, it's even more difficult to keep her daughters strong. She said they've had anxiety and self-harming thoughts.

"Her daughters have medical expenses for therapy. She's lost income," said TiShaunda McPherson, JEM Law Advocates' principal attorney. "The district needs to be held accountable."

While Ward puts up a fight in court, Shelton said she's leaned on her mom for support, learning to walk into school with her head held high, as she says, "kill them with kindness."

"Don't let no one push you around. But, you also don't have to be what people think you are," Shelton said.

Ward and other parents are to bring up the issues of racism toward their children at Tuesday night's school board meeting.