Racial harassment has no place in our schools. Discrimination has no place in a modern society. Yet, we must be careful not to rush to judgment before the facts are clearly established.
A newly filed federal lawsuit involving Dickson County Schools requires us to hold both principles at the same time.
Malachi Ramseur, an 18-year-old biracial student who formerly attended Creek Wood High School, filed a federal civil rights lawsuit alleging that he endured repeated racial harassment while participating in athletics. The allegations are disturbing. They are also just allegations, and Dickson County Schools deserves the opportunity to respond in court.
But the questions raised by this case should concern parents, educators, coaches, administrators, and school board members across Tennessee.
The lawsuit alleges that Ramseur was repeatedly subjected to racial slurs by teammates, including the N-word and comments telling him to “go back to Africa.” It alleges that some coaches witnessed inappropriate conduct without adequately intervening.
According to the complaint, Ramseur’s mother contacted a coach in January 2025 about the language being directed toward her son. The lawsuit alleges that no meaningful investigation followed.
Months later, Ramseur allegedly discovered a wooden board in his basketball locker containing “Whites Only,” references to Jim Crow laws, and a racial slur. The lawsuit says his parents were not notified for six days.
After reporting the incident, Ramseur alleges teammates called him a “snitch,” “traitor,” and “NARC.” Perhaps most troubling, the complaint alleges that an administrator proposed that Ramseur dress in a separate locker room rather than separating him from students accused of harassing him.
Again, these allegations have not been proven.
Dickson County Schools has said it opposes discrimination in all forms and has policies and procedures designed to protect students. At the time of the initial reporting, the district had not yet filed its substantive response in federal court. That response matters.
The central question is not simply whether teenagers behaved badly. Unfortunately, teenagers sometimes say and do terrible things despite the best efforts of adults.
The more important question is this: What did the adults know, when did they know it, and what did they do about it? That is also close to the legal question.
Schools are not automatically liable every time one student harasses another. Federal courts apply a demanding standard in cases alleging that schools failed to respond to racial harassment.
The issue generally becomes whether school officials had actual knowledge of serious harassment and responded with deliberate indifference—essentially whether their response was clearly unreasonable under the circumstances. An unsuccessful response is not necessarily an unlawful response.
Schools can investigate, discipline students, contact parents, increase supervision, separate students when appropriate, document incidents, and take other reasonable steps. Sometimes those measures still fail.
But doing nothing is different.Ignoring repeated warnings is different.
And moving the alleged victim while leaving the underlying behavior unaddressed raises legitimate questions that deserve answers.
Documentation will likely tell much of this story. Emails, incident reports, disciplinary records, communications among coaches and administrators, security video, and records showing what actions were taken may ultimately prove more important than anything said publicly today.
There is also a broader lesson for educators. Teachers and coaches are frequently the adults closest to students when bullying, harassment, or discrimination occurs.
Teachers should not be expected to become lawyers or investigators. But they must know what to do when they witness serious misconduct.
Intervene when appropriate. Report it. Document it. Follow established procedures. Make certain administrators know. Then follow up.
Administrators have an equally important responsibility: support employees who report problems and act when credible concerns reach their desks.
Schools cannot eliminate every cruel word spoken by a teenager. They can establish a culture in which students understand that racial harassment will not be ignored.
Due process matters here as well. We should not convict a school district, administrator, coach, or student through headlines. Dickson County Schools deserves an opportunity to present its evidence and explain its actions.
Malachi Ramseur deserves the same thing: a serious examination of his allegations rather than having them dismissed because they are uncomfortable.
The courtroom will determine legal liability. Our responsibility as educators is more immediate.
Every child deserves a safe place to learn. Every educator deserves clear procedures and administrative support when confronting harassment. And every school system has an obligation to respond when credible allegations are brought forward.
The standard should not be complicated. When adults know something is wrong, adults must act.
JC Bowman is the executive director of Professional Educators of Tennessee and contributing editor to TriStar Daily
