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#  ACLU Sues Entire Michigan School District for Being Racist AF

DISCRIMINATION IN PLAIN SIGHT--If racism was a school-sanctioned sport, I’d love to see the white supremacy team from Covington Catholic High School MAGAts face off against the traditional powerhouse bigots of Paw Paw, Michigan because, according to the Michigan chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union, the Paw Paw Public Schools might be one of the greatest racism training programs in America.

Written by Michael Harriot.

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DISCRIMINATION IN PLAIN SIGHT--If racism was a school-sanctioned sport, I’d love to see the white supremacy team from Covington Catholic High School MAGAts face off against the traditional powerhouse bigots of Paw Paw, Michigan because, according to the Michigan chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union, the Paw Paw Public Schools might be one of the greatest racism training programs in America.

Aside from being a great recruiting ground for Trump University, the ACLU recently filed a [federal discrimination complaint](http://www.aclumich.org/sites/default/files/ACLU_Complaint_against_Dept_of_Ed_to_Office_of_Civil_Rights_RE_Paw_Paw_School_District.pdf) (pdf) against the entire Paw Paw school district, claiming the district and the schools within it have fostered a “racially hostile educational environment.” The complaint continues:

“This complaint is filed on behalf of all victimized persons who have been or will be on Paw Paw Public Schools properties... Records attached to this complaint demonstrate that the victims of discrimination are not limited to specific individuals or discrete groups. The discrimination is pervasive and affects diverse individuals or groups. Although there are individual acts of discrimination, the problems that are the subject of the complaint are systematic and require a system-wide investigation and remedy.”

First of all, we can’t begin this tale of academic racism without highlighting the fact that the school district is 91 percent white and less than one percent black, according to [Census Reporter](https://censusreporter.org/profiles/97000US2627660-paw-paw-public-school-district-mi/). Secondly, it should be noted that the Paw Paw High School mascot is the “Redskins,” which some people have been fighting for years, to no avail.

That seems like an open and shut decision if it were not for the fact that Paw Paw is racist as fuck. In fact, let’s take a quick quiz to see how racist the school is.

**Which one of these incidents happened at Paw Paw Schools?

A student drew a swastika and put a statue of Hitler in another student’s project, which the teacher called “artistic.”

A teacher caught students harassing a foreign student asking him if he was a member of the Taliban.

When a majority black team was beating the brakes off the Paw Paw, Paw Paw fans just decided to beat up the black team. People came from the stands to help assault the black high school boys.

A student doing a math problem in front of the class drew a penis and the word “nigger” instead.

**According to the report, students at Paw Paw schools were subjected to which one of these racial slurs or remarks?

“Dirty Mexican”

“Nigger”

“Go back to your country”

“Fucking Nigger”

**According to [Michigan Live](https://www.mlive.com/news/kalamazoo/index.ssf/2017/02/paw_paw_remains_the_redskins_b.html), Paw Paw’s Mascot is the “Redskins.” What happened when there was a meeting to decide whether or not the school should keep the offensive name?

When Native Americans showed up and explained that the name is an “offensive term connected with discrimination against them and acts of violence against them,” the residents kicked them out of the meeting.

The white alumni and students say the mascot name is a “respectful identifier” that honors the Native American legacy.

They threatened to recall any school board member who voted against keeping the offensive name.

They started a movement called the “Not Your Mascot” movement to stop Native Americans from speaking about it.

**Results:

1. *The correct answer is a, b, c, or d.*
2. *The correct answer is a, b, c, or d.*
3. *The correct answer is a, b, c, or d.*

Yes, the Paw Paw School District did all of the above.

“The District denies the ACLU’s allegations and is disappointed that the ACLU made such claims without conducting sufficient and objective research,” Superintendent Sonia Lark said in response to the allegations. “Contrary to the allegations in the ACLU’s complaint, district staff and administration work tirelessly to promote diversity and to encourage cultural sensitivity.”

Your move, Covington.

*(Michael Harriot, world-renowned wypipologist, posts on [theroot.com](https://www.theroot.com/aclu-sues-entire-school-district-for-being-racist-af-1832173459). Self-described getter and doer of "it." Never reneged, never will. Last real negus alive.) Prepped for CityWatch by Linda Abrams.*

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