Letter from Former USM Student

People are too racist at this school. It’s getting out of hand. I remember the day I started getting bullied at school. I was excited to start the new school year and make new friends. I was proud to be one of the few black students in my school, but soon I realized that not everyone felt the same way.

It started with whispers and stares from some of the other students. At first, I tried to ignore it and go about my day, but then the comments started. "Go back to Atlanta", "you don't belong here", and other hurtful words were thrown my way. I felt like I was being targeted for something that I couldn't change about myself.

The bullying escalated and soon it wasn't just words, but physical harassment too. I was pushed, tripped, and even had things thrown at me. It was like I was an outsider in my own school, and I didn't understand why. I felt isolated and alone.

I tried talking to teachers and counselors, but it felt like no one was really listening. They would tell me to ignore it or that it was just kids being kids, but it didn't feel that way to me. It felt personal like I was being attacked because of my skin color.