Student tells Dearborn Heights board he faced racial slurs; mother urges better special-education supports

A student identified in the transcript as Jonah Young told the Dearborn Heights School District #7 Board of Education on Dec. 3 that he has been the target of racial slurs and described classroom experiences he said make learning difficult. Jonah said a teammate used a racial slur against him and that the incidents have left him intimidated.

Trustees voted unanimously to suspend the board’s five-minute public-comment timer so Jonah could speak without the timing restriction. Trustee Lesie Wless made the motion and it was seconded and approved by roll call.

Jonah described several classroom concerns: he said some teachers go too quickly when showing videos or giving instruction and that he struggles to follow when the pace is not adjusted. He also said he believes a math teacher treated him differently during free time and alleged an art teacher behaved inappropriately toward female students. “One boy on the team called me the hard R,” Jonah said in his remarks to the board.

Barb Young, Jonah’s mother, spoke immediately afterward. She thanked the board for allowing Jonah extra time and urged the district to increase staff training in special-education supports. She said the district removed her son’s paraeducator for part of a day without warning, which she described as harmful to his learning and emotional stability. She said her son has not received adequate supports for five years and that she is considering filing a state complaint if services do not improve. “Stop doing that to these kids,” she told the board, asking that Miss Stacy remain assigned to her son.

The board did not take immediate action during the meeting beyond granting extra time for Jonah to speak and listening to the parents’ concerns. Trustees and staff said they would note the comments and that district staff are scheduling trauma-informed and special-education-related training (the superintendent noted upcoming PD and outside consultants will be involved). The meeting record shows community-resources information on the district website for families in need.

The remarks from Jonah and his mother raise allegations about student mistreatment and individual staff decisions; the transcript records the comments but does not include a district response detailing corrective steps or an investigation timeline. Families seeking direct remedies should contact district administration; the board acknowledged the comments and said staff would follow up.