An Illinois school district is facing accusations of racial discrimination and harassment following a viral incident where Black students were allegedly given bags of cotton in social science class.
According to Fox 32 Chicago , parent Candace Ward filed a lawsuit against the Oak Park Elementary School District 97 Board of Education and two teachers and the school principal at Percy Julian Middle School, alleging discrimination, harassment, and retaliation.
The lawsuit cites several incidents including one that went viral in April 2024 after Ward shared a photo showing a bag of cotton with seeds that her 7th-grade daughter was given in class. According to Ward, only Black students were given the cotton…