Racism and bullying are two concepts that have made their mark and don't seem to be going anywhere. So it should honestly be no surprise that racially charged bullying is still happening at the elementary level even in the year of our Lord 2017.
Just because it's not a surprise doesn't mean it won't piss you off every time.
10-year-old Taylor Armbrester has been racially harassed and tormented by other school aged children at his Alabama elementary school. Alabama, the same state that brought us Jeff Sessions and his war on drugs — shocker.
Taylor says he has been called “black boy” and “retarded,” by other fifth graders since he transferred to the predominantly white Chelsea Park Elementary School in Chelsea, Alabama. In addition, he has been punched, kicked, had his finger broken and had sick little poems recited to him by his peers.
As far as the snarky little poems go: "Roses are red, violets are blue, I am white, you should be too. Roses are red, violets are blue, I am white, why aren’t you? Roses are red, violets are blue, God made me pretty, what happened to you?”
"They think they can just do it to me," Taylor said. "They think I'm dumb or something. They kept on doing it to me."
Alabama.com reports that his most recent attack was having his finger broken. Taylor was shooting baskets when a girl he considers his friend asked if she could shoot, but instead she threw the ball at him. It broke one of his fingers. His mother took him to the emergency room, she said.
“He seems to be an easy target,” his mother, Shaneka Phillips, has stated.
When taken before administration, it has been deemed an "isolated case." Seemingly, to save face.
A guidance counselor has met with students who admitted they had been mean to Taylor. Assistant Principal Mary Anderson and a guidance counselor met with Taylor and his mother on Friday.
"There is not a problem with racial bullying at the school," she said. "This would be an isolated case. I have not had to deal with that."
She went on to say that the school is welcoming of diversity, "we have children of all races."
Alabama.com also reports that out of 883 students at Chelsea Park Elementary School, from kindergarten through fifth grade, there are 88 black students, about 10 percent. There are 23 Asian students, 40 Hispanics and one Pacific Islander. The 715 white students make up about 81 percent of the student body.
One thing is for sure, something needs to be done. School-aged children are learning this hate from somewhere and it needs to be combated.