Mom sues Horry schools for racism after Black student used as ‘target practice’ on team
A South Carolina mother is accusing the Horry County Schools district and three of its employees of racism over her Black daughter’s participation on a high school tennis team.
Crystal Dozier, of Marion, filed the federal lawsuit in U.S. District Court on behalf of her 17-year-old daughter who was a former student at Green C. Floyds High School in Green Sea.
The suit names the school district, as well as Principal Nick Harris, Assistant Principal Mary Price and Krysten Webster, who is an English teacher and tennis coach at the school. All of those named are white, according to the suit.
Horry County Schools District Spokesperson Lisa Bourcier said by email that the district does not comment on matters related to pending litigation.
The suit, filed March 16, claims that the school and the tennis coach violated the Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 through racial discrimination and abuse of the student when she lodged complaints about being racially discriminated against.
According to the suit, Webster failed to respond to the student’s request to join the team, whose members were all white females, and it wasn’t until Dozier intervened on July 30, 2023, that the teen was allowed to join.
Webster openly showed racial discrimination against the teen, allowing the other team members to use the student as “target practice” throughout each day’s tennis practice, the suit said. The “daily behavior of racial abuse” caused the teen distress and emotional harm, the suit said.
In August 2023, the student approached Webster at school regarding the alleged race discrimination. Webster asked the student to return after third-period class to continue the conversation, which she did. At that time, Price, Webster, and another student of color who had similar complaints were present, the suit said.
During the meeting, Webster became argumentative and berated the teen. In addition, Price disregarded the student’s concerns about racial discrimination and verbally assaulted her, according to the suit.
Dozier then had a follow-up meeting with Harris and Price, in which they stated “they do not allow any race discrimination complaints and they do not see race at Green C. Floyds High School,” the suit said.
Because of the racial abuse, the teen left the tennis team on Aug. 28, 2023.
Dozier wrote a letter to the Horry County School District and the school board on Sept. 6, 2023, complaining of race discrimination. After the letter was sent, the student began being bullied at the school, which was reported to Price. However, Price allowed the bullying to continue, the suit claims.
Janet Patten, an investigator with the district, performed a perfunctory investigation into Dozier’s allegations and ultimately concluded that there was bias but that Webster did not “know any better,” the suit said.
As a result of the racial harassment, discrimination and retaliation that she received, the student withdrew from Green C. Floyds school on Jan. 24, 2024.
The suit claims that the student was subjected to a hostile environment and discrimination based on her race.
The suit is asking for a jury trial based on the harassment, discrimination, retaliation and defamation.
