DINWIDDIE COUNTY, Va.—Dinwiddie school officials are investigating allegations that a bus driver used a racial slur and directed it at eleven-year-old Dennot Mirjah.
"I think about it, it's very hurtful," said Mirjah, a fifth grader at Dinwiddie County Elementary School.
He was on a field trip last Thursday when he boarded the school bus to put his lunch box on it.
He said that four of his friends heard the white, female bus driver directed a racial slur at him, twice. His friends said the slur was used in a sentence.
"When I got off the bus, they said this, Dennot, the bus driver called you the N word.”
“I said ‘she did?!”and they said ‘yeah’ and so that's when I told my mama,” Mirjah said.
His mother, Margaret Mirjah was a chaperone for the field trip.
She said the kids were having a very fun field trip, until that happened.
His mother, Margaret Mirjah was a chaperone for the field trip.
She said that when her son explained what had allegedly happened, it set off a chain of events.
"I was really shocked, to even hear him say that," Mrs. Mirjah said.
First, she told his teacher, who she said called the principal and then the School Board office was notified.
Mrs. Mirjah believed what the four students told her son. She said that the children, all who are white, corroborated the same story in separate talks with the teacher.
"I said you know, those are really good friends because they didn't have to tell you that it was said, but they were offended, they were surprised, they were outraged that it happened,” she said.
On Monday, Mirjah said the School Board office called and told her the situation had been handled but told her they could not disclose the outcome due to it being a personnel matter.
That didn't sit well with her.
"You hurt an 11 year old’s feelings, that's going to stick with him the rest of his life," Mrs. Mirjah said.
She wants the driver to apologize for what was said.
"It's very hurtful for her to say, to call me the ‘N word,’” her son said.
CBS 6 reached out to the Dinwiddie County School Administration and they released a statement acknowledging the investigation.
"On Thursday, April 12, 2018, Dinwiddie County Public Schools was made aware of allegations of inappropriate comments by an employee towards a student. Upon receipt of the compliant from the parent, an investigation immediately ensued. The investigation was handled according to school board policy and the parent was provided follow-up communication. At this time, Dinwiddie County Public Schools cannot comment on the outcome of the investigation as it is now a personnel matter. "
