GREENFIELD, Wis. — Parents met with the principal and the athletic director at Greenfield High School on Friday afternoon.
Jimmie Carter tells TMJ4 News he was one of about 15 parents at the private meeting.
"The principal, he relayed his comments. The athletic director spoke. The parents, we put our statement in," Carter said. "And there was a few other things we asked him about, if, you know, like what can you actually do right now. If you're alluding to the fact that you can't do anything, what is the purpose of this meeting? And they really could not give us an answer."
His son's friend is Omar Surveyor, who spoke out Wednesday about an encounter with the athletic director during lunch one day.
"He goes, 'Come on boy we're going in the lunchroom right now, boy. Do you wanna be called boy now?' I'm like don't call me boy," Surveyor said. "I didn't like it at all I thought it was beyond racist. I told him multiple times don't call me that word I don't like it, and he continued to call me that same word over and over again."
Carter says the athletic director apologized. Carter says he wishes the apology was in public.
"His apology, or lack thereof, which was very lackluster to the point where he tried to divert into almost blaming the student for why the situation occurred," Carter said.
TMJ4 has asked the district for an interview, but they said the superintendent wasn't available. TMJ4 has also reached out to the principal and athletic director for comment.
Earlier in the week, Surveyor's teammates on the varsity basketball team wore T-shirts that said, "My name is not boy."
"In school I think a lot of people were glad that he spoke up," Surveyor's mother, Beverly Juarez, said. "They told him stories of things that have happened to them with the athletic director."
"He should definitely be terminated," Carter said.
He said their next step is to discuss this with the school board. The board president told TMJ4 News they are investigating the claim.
"No children, nobody should have to deal with bigotry, discrimination on any type of level, no matter what color you are," Carter said.
A letter to parents indicated the head basketball coach resigned earlier this week.
"They stated like it was for us to voice our issues and grievances that we may have as well, but we know what he did so I don't know what else we could listen to," said Jimmie Carter, a Greenfield High School parent.
Jimmie Carter, Jerome Smith, and Beverly Juarez are just some of the parents rallying behind their kids.
Juarez said the athletic director repeatedly taunted her son, Omar, calling him "boy" during lunch despite multiple objections to how Lower used the word. Omar said he and other students who witnessed it told Lower to stop.
SEE MORE
"When we spoke with the principal he condemned the actions of the athletic director. He blatantly stated to us that using that word when it's racially charged...We don't condone that, it's absolutely wrong," Carter said.
Since Omar's story came out, the parents said they have been overwhelmed with complaints and concerns from other families, staff, and alumni about the athletic director.
"This is not the first time. We just wanna make this the last time," Juarez said.
"That's what he is. He's a bully, not just with the students... His coworkers, and the parents," Smith said.
