Teacher allegedly calls Elgin middle school student racial slur; mother sues district

ELGIN, Ill. (WLS) -- A mother filed a civil rights lawsuit against Elgin School District U-46 after a teacher reportedly called her a daughter a racial slur.

ABC7 Chicago is now streaming 24/7. Click here to watch

The lawsuit was filed in federal court this week alleging a violation of the Civil Rights Act.

Amica Richardson said last year her then-11-year-old daughter was verbally abused by her math teacher who called her a racial slur.

"She walked into the classroom, and the teacher immediately got into her face, and saying, 'What should you be called? What should I address you as? The N word or Black?" Richardson told media on Thursday.

The incident is alleged to have happened at Elgin's Ellis Middle School a week into the 2023-2024 school year.

Richardson said she pulled her daughter out of school for a couple of weeks, and when she went back, the teacher was no longer there.

It's not clear whether the teacher in question was fired. Elgin's School District U-46 cited privacy laws as a reason for disclosing that information.

ABC7 Chicago has viewed a written statement provided by a fellow student in the class.

SEE ALSO: Historic partnership hopes to empower Black, Latino communities to stand united for 2024 election

"She was called the N word, which has been confirmed in statements by six other students in the class," civil rights attorney Jack Casciato said.

Casciato added that the teacher's alleged comment led to bullying from other students.

The girl's mother said the bullying has had a profound psychological impact on her daughter, who still attends Ellis Middle School. She said that's why she filed the lawsuit, not just against the teacher, but also the school district.

"She just don't want to be Black anymore," Richardson said. "She don't want to go to school. She just don't feel comfortable."

While officials for U-46 would not comment on the lawsuit itself, they released the following statement:

"School district U-46 does not endorse or tolerate any use of epithets of any kind, nor does the school district endorse or tolerate any disparaging remarks or slurs. Our priority remains the well-being and education of our students."

Richardson's attorney said they have yet to fully identify the teacher, except by her last name.

Filing the lawsuit will serve as a way for them to do that.