‘It was a shock’, say parents of student accused of racism against Samara’s daughter; they will take their daughter out of school

The parents of one of the students accused of racism against the eldest daughter of actress Samara Felippo said they will remove their daughter from Vera Cruz school, a private school in the west of São Paulo. The message was sent in a message group with other class leaders and obtained by the newspaper The globe.

According to the statement, the family said that they consider themselves “a progressive family” and that they “seek to evolve in anti-racist education.” They also stated that they apologized to the victim and family.

“Schools are microcosms of our structurally racist and violent society. We consider ourselves a progressive family, which for years has sought to walk and evolve in anti-racist education”, said an excerpt of the message.

They also wrote that they were “shocked” when their daughter said that it was she, among other friends, who carried out the act against Samara’s daughter.

“Our daughter has always been a polite and affectionate girl with her friends in these 13 years of school experience. Contrary to what some said in Whatsapp groups, she is not a repeat offender and has never had previous reports of bad behavior. She is a teenager in training as a citizen – like all of your children. Who makes mistakes and successes, as we have all done in our lives”, stated the text, according to the newspaper.

Understand the case

Actress Samara Felippo reported a case of racism against one of her 14-year-old daughters, committed by other students at Vera Cruz school.

The students responsible were suspended by the educational institution, which says it welcomed the victim and applied sanctions to the two students identified as perpetrators of the attack. The teenage victim of the criminal act is the result of the actress’ relationship with former basketball player Leandrinho.

According to a report made by Samara in a group of parents on Whatsapp, to which the Estadão had access, his eldest daughter had the notebook stolen, pages were torn out and then it was returned to the school’s lost property with a racial slur written on one of the pages. The incident occurred last Monday, the 22nd.

Samara expressed her indignation at the violence suffered by her daughter: “I’m still digesting everything and maybe I’ll never be able to, every time I look at her notebook or see her bent over the table redoing each page, it hurts my soul. I cry. It’s a very painful cry. But now I’m crying with indignation too.”

The actress opened a police report and the Civil Police will investigate the case. The case, registered as “race or color prejudice”, was forwarded to the 14th DP (Pinheiros).

School positioning

Vera Cruz acknowledged the case and sent an email, obtained by Estadão, for parents of 9th grade students, the series that Samara’s daughter is studying. In the statement, coordinator Daniel Helene says that the girl sought out the teacher and the grade advisor when she came across the insults in the notebook and was welcomed.

“From the first moment, we maintained constant contact with the family of the student victim of this racist aggression, as well as remaining vigilant so that she does not become too exposed and becomes a victim of further aggression. In the circular sent to all families on the same day, we requested that everyone talked to their children about what happened, and, on Tuesday, April 23rd, two 9th grade students and their families attended the school, taking responsibility for the actions”, explains the email.

The students were suspended indefinitely and had their participation in a school trip banned. “We emphasize that other punitive measures may be taken, if we deem it necessary after our intense educational debate, also considering the unequivocal fight against racism”, stated the coordinator.

In the text sent to the group of parents, Samara says that she asked for the expulsion of the students responsible and states that the school is acting negligently in the face of repeated episodes of prejudice.

“It is not an isolated case, let that be clear!!! The hostile and exclusionary acts have been increasingly violent and recurrent. (She) just wanted to be part of a group and was excluded from work, groups, trips, accepted any crumbs and mockery made by the same girls, and her name was always thrown around in gossip, ‘she told me’ and blamed for acts she didn’t commit”, stated the actress in the parents’ group.

When contacted by the report, the school stated that, from the first moment, “it recognized the seriousness of this violent act of racism, naming it as such, and actions were immediately taken to welcome the attacked student and his family.”

He also stated that, “the day after the incident, the attackers identified themselves and presented themselves to the school, with their families, and several measures were taken, always with the aim of welcoming the student who was the victim of the attack and his family, as well as with the aim of ensure that the aggressor students understood the scale of their act.”

The school said that, “after a broad and intense investigation process, it was possible to promote a meeting between the three students involved, with mediation from the school” and, afterwards, “the attackers were informed of the sanctions initially defined, including a suspension for an indefinite period.”

*With information from Estadão Conteúdo.

Source: Redação Terra