Fear of Ebola is said to be behind the bullying and beating of two middle school students of African descent.
The African Advisory Council says the brothers, who are originally from Senegal, were injured at I.S. 318 on Friday.
In an exclusive interview with NY1, the boys’ father, Ousmane Drame, says they only recently arrived in the U.S.
“They call me from the school tell me come, they’re beating your children. I rush, go there my children was very hurt, headached, he was crying, laying on the floor, more than 10 children on top of him, beating him,” Drame said.
“And all they want to do is be kids. They want to play like kids, they want to learn like kids. They go to school and they’ve been bullied over and over to the point in which it led to this situation in which they were brutally injured,” said Charles Cooper of the African Advisory Council.
NY1 has reached out to the Department of Education for comment.
A spokesperson for the African Advisory Council says the school has taken disciplinary action.
The group, which is set to hold a news conference Monday, is also working on community outreach initiatives to prevent further bias.
Meantime, the city Department of Education is sending home a letter with students this week in an effort to better inform parents about Ebola.
It contains general information on the virus, and tries to reassure parents that school nurses and medical providers have worked with health officials to develop protocols when it comes to detecting and then isolating any student who might show symptoms.
The DOE also says it has been updating principals weekly as concerns about the disease have grown.
The letter urges parents with additional questions to visit nyc.gov/health.
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