Freetown Woman Says Her Kids Face Racial Taunts at Apponequet

There were serious allegations of racism made by a Freetown woman at the May 25, 2022 meeting of the Freetown-Lakeville Regional School Committee.

Susan Oyenuga told the committee she and her family have faced "ongoing issues" of racism for years in the district's schools, most recently at the Apponequet Regional High School located at 100 Howland Road in Lakeville.

In a YouTube video of the recent meeting, Oyenuga alleged her children have been harassed in the school's hallways and called the "n word" and "monkeys" and told, "Go back to where you came from" while being taunted with "monkey noises."

Oyenuga told committee members her family "will not tolerate this behavior any longer" and "will not sit in silence." Oyenuga said, "We need change."

Oyenuga said she has documented the racist behavior towards her family with the police and the school district but her complaints "fall on deaf ears." She said she has spoken to teachers, counselors, and others and was told by school administration officials that they "would respond by the end of the week" but they never did.

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Oyenuga said the school's handbook addresses the issue of hate speech on page 34 but lists no consequences for such behavior. She said the district's diversity committee told her the handbook is "geared more towards LGBTQ and not race or religion." She said she was told the lack of diversity is "bigger than the school" and "it is in the community."

In the video, Freetown-Lakeville School Regional Committee Chairman Steve Owen told Oyenuga the committee would investigate her allegations and respond accordingly.

Oyenuga's comments to the Freetown-Lakeville Regional School Committee begin at 47:47 of the video below:

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Filed Under: Apponequet Regional High School, Freetown, Freetown-Lakeville School Committee, lakeville

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