Houston ISD parent outraged after child given ‘artwork’ calling her ‘little BLACK monkey’ from another student

HOUSTON – A Houston family is still traumatized after their daughter was given a racist piece of art by a student as a gift.

It happened on January 18th at Houston ISD’s Arabic Immersion Magnet School in the Montrose area.

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Khloe Colvin, an 8th-grade student at the school, says a 7th-grade student gave her a heart-shaped letter with her name on it and the message: “You Little BLACK Monkey.”

Her mother, Ivette Morris Colvin, who serves as the school counselor, told KPRC 2′s Re’Chelle Turner the 7th-grade student was given one day of in-school suspension (ISS.) Though it has been months since the incident occurred, she tells us it has adversely affected her mental health and she is on FMLA leave to take care of herself and work a modified schedule.

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Colvin wants the school to address the situation as follows:

1. A letter to the parents of all Arabic Immersion Magnet School parents acknowledging that there is a problem and that an action plan is being created to ensure that a culture where all students not only feel welcomed but can flourish is established.

2. A Face-to-Face meeting with all parents to address the issue to ensure that both students learn from this experience.

3. Actively employ the social and emotional learning model that the upper management does not acknowledge as needed to address the needs of the whole child. Just like a hungry child is distracted from learning so is an emotionally affected child. Meet this need in a post-COVID society and it would foster an environment for them to thrive academically.

4. Reassignment or training of the current Principal. Her tactics of not wanting to ask for help when she did not know has adversely affected the school that has great possibilities.

KPRC 2 also reached out to the district on Monday, but as of this writing, have not heard back.

The Colvin family will also be speaking with KPRC 2 later today. More will be shared in a live report at 6 p.m. on KPRC 2 and additional updates to this story will be made as it develops.