In Monroe schools, families allege rampant racism left unchecked

MONROE — Unpunished racist slurs and violence by classmates as well as false accusations from staff have dominated school life for Black children in the Monroe School District, families allege in a lawsuit filed this week.

The racial reckoning in Monroe schools led to revelations about former Superintendent Justin Blasko, resulting in his resignation in 2022.

But the district’s issues with racism didn’t end there, according to the complaint filed by five families Thursday in Snohomish County Superior Court. The defendants include the school district and over a dozen current and former school officials, like Blasko.

The families are represented by James Bible, who also represented the family of Tirhas Tesfatsion, a woman who died by suicide in the Lynnwood jail. A lawsuit in that case resulted in a $1.7 million settlement with the city.

https://www.heraldnet.com/news/in-monroe-schools-families-allege-rampant-racism-left-unchecked/