Stories told of targeted African American students at Modesto schools

A mother and grandmother whose African American students were subjected to hate crimes at schools in Modesto spoke poignantly of the legacy of prejudice.

“Unfortunately, we live in a world where there’s still a lot of hate taking place,” Tanya Porter said at a news conference Monday. “To be honest with you, I could see something like this happening in the Southern states, Mississippi or Alabama. But to be here in California, which is one of the most diverse states, to still be dealing with hate.”

Porter’s son, a senior at Central Catholic High School, was targeted in a social media video in which a younger boy who is white plays with a noose around his neck, issues a crude and direct death threat, then a handgun is shown being fired. Police have arrested the boy shown in the video and a classmate believed to have filmed it. Both face felony charges in connection with a hate crime.

“I can’t understand the fact that there is this still going on, in this time. I dealt with this back when I was coming up in the ’60s,” said grandmother Rita Tillery. “My daughter graduated from Johansen (High) back in 2000. We dealt with the discrimination and racial things when she was coming up. I really didn’t expect this to happen to my granddaughter – not to be beat down in the street.”

Tillery’s granddaughter, in junior high, was waiting at a school bus stop one morning in the fall when a white schoolmate started calling out racial slurs and throwing rocks at her. When she got off the bus that afternoon, his older sister assaulted her, Tillery has said.

Her granddaughter was suspended from school for trying to defend herself, Tillery said.

“The suspension, that’s what really got me,” she said Monday. The boy was later arrested, but the charges were dropped, she said, and his sister was convicted and given probation for six months. Both are minors, and Tillery did not give their names or specify the charges. The U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights is investigating the matter; officials with Modesto City Schools said the district is cooperating.

Since then, Tillery’s granddaughter has moved to a different school to get away from her tormentor. She is adjusting and getting good grades.

Porter’s son will graduate in a month, but his senior year is not the carefree time he expected, she said. Since going public, she finds people staring at her family whenever they run errands or go to activities. There are frequent hangups on their home phone.

“We don’t go out in public. I’m keeping him in arm’s reach, which he doesn’t like. He should be enjoying his senior year, but I’m playing mother hen right now,” Porter said.

Both women said they needed to speak out to shine a light on injustices, to try to make life better for the next generation.

“We all stand up here, not just for her granddaughter and my son. We stand up here for all kids, and it doesn’t matter the color of their skin. Laws are supposed to protect all of us,” said Porter.

The women spoke at a news conference called by Advocates for Justice, a mentoring group for African American youths that has counseled both families.

“These are not isolated incidents,” said Advocates co-founder Jacq Wilson, who said he knew of at least three hate crimes this year.

“Advocates for Justice, the NAACP and all the members who are standing up here say, ‘We have your back. We will be your voice. We don’t want you to be afraid,’ ” Wilson said. “We want to help Modesto be great again.”

This story was originally published April 18, 2016 at 6:17 PM with the headline "Stories told of targeted African American students at Modesto schools."