Massachusetts School District Reaches Settlement Over Claims of Racist Bullying

Millbury Public Schools in Massachusetts has reached a settlement with the Dabney sisters, who claimed they endured months of racist bullying and threats from white classmates. The sisters, Melody and Kamora Dabney, filed a complaint in September 2024, alleging that fellow students repeatedly used racial slurs, including the N-word, and targeted them with insults based on their race and appearance.

The complaint, filed with the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Civil Rights by their mother Trusha Vilvar, stated that students mocked the sisters for their skin color, hair texture, and facial features, calling them 'monkey.' Melody and Kamora were among a small number of Black students at Millbury Memorial Junior/Senior High School. They alleged that school administrators sided with the students responsible for the harassment.

One incident described in the filing involved a white student showing Kamora a note with the N-word written on it, claiming an "N-word pass" was a common joke at the school. When Kamora tore up the note, she was written up by a librarian. This infraction was later used in relation to her suspension 20 days later, according to the complaint.

The filing also included a Snapchat message sent to Kamora that read, "B*** stop tryna f*** with me [redacted] will beat your a** Kamora [redacted] won't do anything it a n***** go back to [your] mother land just like [redacted] said." The sisters' lawyers contended that instead of taking decisive action, the school issued lengthy suspensions to Melody and Kamora, involved law enforcement, and criminalized them, all while protecting the white students involved.

School district superintendent Greg Myers stated that the settlement was reached "without any admission of wrongdoing by the district or any finding that the district violated the students' civil rights." He added that Millbury Public Schools is "pleased to have reached a mutually agreed-upon resolution" and that "the safety, well-being and dignity of every student remain central to our mission."

Despite the district's statement, Lawyers for Civil Rights indicated that the settlement required the school district to revise its Civil Rights Grievance Procedures, offering increased protections against racial bullying. Mirian Albert, an attorney with Lawyers for Civil Rights, stated that the case was about "ensuring that Melody and Kamora were heard, protected and treated with the dignity that every student deserves."

While Myers noted that the settlement, for an undisclosed amount, does not require a "wholesale overhaul" of policies, he did mention a "limited clarification to our existing grievance procedures." Lawyers for Civil Rights, however, asserted that revisions to the grievance procedures were part of the agreement.

Kamora expressed in 2025 that school was supposed to be a safe space, but she did not feel safe leaving her house to go to school. Her mother added that their complaints were not taken seriously unless there were four to five witnesses. "If the girls don't have four to five witnesses that heard, they're not believed," Vilvar said.

"Our family’s hope is that this resolution leads to meaningful change and helps create a school environment where every child feels safe, respected, and heard," Vilvar stated. Albert echoed this sentiment, expressing hope that the settlement would ensure a safer and more supportive educational environment for all students in Millbury.