Recent grad suit claims Minnesota high school's homecoming event is racist

**Curt James** · 08-04-2011, 10:14 PM

Recent grad suit claims Minnesota high school's homecoming event is racist

By Chris Welch, CNN
UPDATED: 08:27 PM EDT 08.04.11

A recent graduate is suing a high school she attended, claiming it allowed a "racist" and "bigoted" school spirit event to occur.

According to a federal lawsuit filed July 29, Quera Pruitt, an African-American student, suffered "extreme emotional distress" because of a homecoming event titled "Wednesday Wigger Day," one of several days that week at Red Wing High School during which students were allowed to dress up in various themes.

"Wigger" is as a slang term for "a white person who emulates the mannerisms, language and fashions associated with African-American culture," according to a Wikipedia entry, the definition cited in the lawsuit. It is said to be a slur that combines the words "white" or "wannabe" with the word "nigger."

"The students ... wore clothes that, from their perspective, mimicked Black culture," the lawsuit reads. "These costumes included oversized sports jerseys, low-slung pants, baseball hats cocked to the side, and 'doo rags' on their heads. Some of the students displayed gang signs."

" 'Wigger Day' is the same thing as 'Nigger Day,' " Pruitt's attorney Joshua Williams told CNN. "It's blackface for the 21st century."

The lawsuit says the event happened in 2008 and 2009, and Williams believes it may have also occurred in 2007, before Pruitt moved to the school district. He added that after the 2009 "Wigger Day," Pruitt fell into a "deep depression" and was forced to withdraw from student council, track and cheerleading. She graduated in 2010.

In 2009, Pruitt told CNN affiliate KARE that the incident hurt her feelings and that "no one asked" how she might have felt.

According to KARE, school officials did ask the students to change their clothes, but no punishment followed.

The lawsuit maintains the school violated the Minnesota Human Rights Act, as well as Title VI, which prohibits racial discrimination in a school that receives federal funds.

District Superintendent Karsten Anderson issued the following statement to CNN: "Independent School District #256, Red Wing, Minnesota has been and continues to be committed to providing an education to its students that is free from discrimination and harassment based upon race or otherwise. The district denies the allegations that it has created a racially hostile environment and looks forward to meeting these allegations in court. Since this concerns pending litigation, the district has no further comment at this time."

Williams is asking for at least $75,000 in punitive damages.

Red Wing is in southeast Minnesota, about 60 miles from Minneapolis.

From CNN.com

**irish_2003** · 08-04-2011, 10:17 PM

rule of thumb.....Don't say wigger or anything racist if anyone other than whitey is around!

**Curt James** · 08-04-2011, 10:40 PM

**BigPapaPump68** · 08-05-2011, 12:04 AM

Everything is race related in this country. The kid wants $75,000 for damages? GTFOutta here, but he'll probably end up winning and causing the tax payers more money than they already need to be paying

**Curt James** · 08-05-2011, 02:14 AM

It's a she.

But I don't believe she deserves a dime either.

I know race is a delicate subject worthy of respectful consideration, but seventy-five thousand dollars?

No.

**RAWS n More** · 08-05-2011, 02:31 AM

Originally Posted by BigPapaPump68

Everything is race related in this country. The kid wants $75,000 for damages? GTFOutta here, but he'll probably end up winning and causing the tax payers more money than they already need to be paying

She will probably just go out and buy a Cadillac

**Zaphod** · 08-05-2011, 06:12 AM

Because her feelings were hurt? Somebody needs to tell her to go fuck herself and go eat a big bag of dicks.

**AdmiralRichard** · 08-05-2011, 06:09 PM

screw that knigga oh wigger

**MDR** · 08-05-2011, 06:23 PM

Bad idea for the school to have a Wednesday wigger day, but no I don't think it is worthy of a lawsuit.

**maniclion** · 08-05-2011, 09:19 PM

Sounds like she is ashamed of her culture, had they decided to dress like Krauts and wear lederhosen she probably would have gotten the most outlandish outfit, bleached her weave and been acting a fool...

She's just salty cause she didn't get to dress up that day since she was already in uniform...

**troubador** · 08-05-2011, 10:50 PM

Whenever I've heard the term 'wigger' it was always derogatory against whites not blacks. If you're making fun of 'wiggers' you're making fun of white people.

There should be a black superhero whose super power is to be offended by almost anything...except cryptonite.

**Muscle_Girl** · 08-06-2011, 12:08 AM

I think the most outrageous part of the whole story is that the school allowed a Wednesday Wigger Day... wtf were they thinkin.

Obviously, people will get money any way they can in the states, but students dressing up as people from tha hood is a little much.

**maxpro2** · 08-06-2011, 12:36 AM

Originally Posted by troubador

Whenever I've heard the term 'wigger' it was always derogatory against whites not blacks. If you're making fun of 'wiggers' you're making fun of white people.

I'm really surprised that you can't stretch your mind to understand why "Wigger Day" would be offensive to a black person.

But from what I understand from the video, this was not a school-sanctioned activity. Basically, on homecoming for two years (2008 and 2009), students would unofficially take it upon themselves to dress up in this way. The school did not condone this behavior at all.

The lawsuit filed last week claims officials at Red Wing High School knew of the activity and had a duty to stop it because it created a racially hostile environment.

The state investigated after Pruitt complained to Minnesota Department of Human Rights in September 2010. The state ruled last month that there was probable cause to believe she was discriminated against. The investigative report said school officials didn't dispute the event happened in 2009, but claimed they could not have foreseen it.

The investigation did find evidence that school officials required some students to change out of the clothes and asked students to police their peers who had dressed offensively.

In my opinion, this is a weak case for the plaintiff. Plaintiff will have to prove that the school should have foreseen that this would occur, based on it happening on one single day, two years in a row. Even if the school could foresee this racist student activity taking place each year, the school can't control what clothes kids show up to school in. The school seems to have fulfilled its obligation by asking the children to change their clothes.

**Curt James** · 08-06-2011, 11:29 AM

Originally Posted by maxpro2

The school seems to have fulfilled its obligation by asking the children to change their clothes.

I'm still not one for a monetary reward, however I'm also not sure the school couldn't have done more.

We have a dress code yet make reminder announcements to discourage students from wearing such items as flip flops or shorts that are above the knee, etc.

It goes beyond just asking children to have a parent visit the school with another pair of shoes or an appropriate outfit.

If this school had complaints about a previous unannounced event then I'd call that precedent. Someone probably should have marked that on their calendar... "Note: Make homecoming week announcements encouraging students to dress appropriately." or something similar.

**troubador** · 08-06-2011, 11:56 PM

Originally Posted by maxpro2

I'm really surprised that you can't stretch your mind to understand why "Wigger Day" would be offensive to a black person.

Great, my intellect was insulted by someone who uses the phrase 'stretch your mind'... FML.

**BigPapaPump68** · 08-07-2011, 01:20 AM

Originally Posted by RAWS n More

She will probably just go out and buy a Cadillac

As stupid as that sounds, you know it's true lol

**LAM** · 08-07-2011, 06:39 AM

Originally Posted by Curt James

But I don't believe she deserves a dime either.

definitely not from an isolated incident. if there was a habit of using this kind of slang in the school and if there were previous complaints and no action was taken then something like a class-action would be more suitable based on other cases across the nation.

pretty sad if that's what's going on in US schools because the hip-hop culture is in no way indicative of the standard dress code of blacks.

**ceazur** · 08-07-2011, 07:18 AM

well i mean you couldnt see this coming? I mean any jig would try this shit... I would give her an advanced on her welfare and a bag of coupons and chunk the dueces..
75,000 Dollars worth of emotional damage cause some teachers and students got to show there true rascim. We'd all get sued if they came to this site.

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