BATON ROUGE, La. – A set of Louisiana parents have filed a federal lawsuit against a Baton Rouge-area school, alleging school personnel failed to address the race-based bullying and harassment allegedly inflicted on their children.
Plaintiffs Matthew Muse and Quinnika Lydia Patterson, respectively the father and mother of minors LM and DM, sued defendant BASIS Baton Rouge Materra in U.S. District Court for the Middle DIstrict of Louisiana.
BASIS Materra is a Type 2, tuition-free public charter school serving grades K-12, under the authority of the East Baton Rouge Parish School System.
The parents, in their 21-page complaint, contend the school’s personnel failed to “correctly deal with” the allegations made by LM and DM that they were victims of race-based bullying and harassment – whether by other students or staff, or both – because of their children’s Black heritage.
They contend their children suffered “severe personal injuries and deprivation of their civil rights” and other constitutional rights.
“The family complained on multiple occasions about the unlawful treatment, harassment and retaliation LM and DM experienced, yet such complaints were never investigated nor addressed by the School’s Title VI Coordinator, or anyone else for that matter,” the 21-page complaint states.
According to the filing, LM and DM live with Muse in Baton Rouge, and attended BASIS Materra in 2024, 2025, and 2026. LM was born in January 2010; DM was born in November 2011.
“For both the child and their families, there is nothing more disturbing than knowing your children was [sic] not only the victim of bullying and harassment, but that you complained about the same and essentially nothing was done,” the lawsuit states.
The parents allege that in May 2025 LM was bullied and harassed because of his ethnicity and race. In particular, they allege he was called a “jigaboo” by two other students.
The term “jigaboo” is a racial slur historically directed towards Black people, “derogatorily implying ignorance and lack of sophistication,” according to the filing.
“The word has roots in racist stereotypes from the early 20th century, often caricaturing Black individuals as lazy or foolish,” the complaint states.
The parents contend the insults were heard by BASIS Materra teacher Emma Watson, but ignored.
They allege Watson “did absolutely nothing,” failing to require an apology from the offending students, report the matter to her superiors, or provide “any type of solace or protection” to LM.
LM filed a student report the same day; however, the parents claim they were never contacted by the school.
“To date, BASIS MATERRA SCHOOL - BATON ROUGE, to the best of Plaintiffs’ knowledge, and despite assurances to the contrary, has not taken any meaningful remedial measures, has not prepared a report of the matter, has not taken any disciplinary action against the transgressors, nor attempted any other meaningful redress, let alone had any follow-up communications or interaction with either Plaintiff,” the complaint states.
The filing alleges DM also was bullied and harassed due to his ethnicity and race, being called a “n***er” by a white student in physics class and within earshot of three or four other students.
Like his brother, DM informed his teachers and school personnel. And like in the case of his brother, the plaintiffs contend the school did nothing.
The parents allege no one from the school “ever actually contacted” either of them.
“The unlawful, racial harassment that LM and DM have endured has caused anxiety, stress, and self-esteem issues that have negatively impacted their educational and life experiences,” the complaint states.
The plaintiffs argue the school failed to, among other things: have a Title VI coordinator involved in the case; provide them information about their right to file a formal grievance with the school; provide school-based counseling services; provide an aide or shadow to observe LM and DM at school; provide LM and DM with social skills training; implement “appropriate” safety measures to prevent future bullying; and use the incident as a “teaching moment” with classmates and staff.
They seek damages, pre- and post-judgment interest and attorney fees.
Bagneris Pieksen & Associates LLC in New Orleans is representing the plaintiffs in the action.
