Mohamed Ly <****> Sat, May 21, 2016 at 1:45 PM

To: [School Principal] Cc: [School Admin], Madina <****>

Greetings,

I thought it was important to inform you that [Daughter] is grounded throughout this weekend. The reason is [School Admin]
reported to my spouse that [Daughter] has taken something that she was not allowed/given. Also reported: this happened twice
before. We've never personally had indication of any such prior incidents. But we do take the count seriously. So, she's in BIG
trouble.

But we also seriously take the reporting, on the part of [Daughter], that she's being subjected to unfair treatment (by some
students), relative to all other classmates, making her "feel left out"... I'll be intentionally blunt with you, because Race (and
Diabetes) are rather too big elephants to leave roaming around the room, unacknowledged, first.

This is a teaching moment for her, us (her parents), the school, other kids and their very own parents. It is in that spirit that this
message is being sent out to you.

She's reported disturbing interactions with classmates:

In the latest incident, one of her classmates, [Student Name 1], made lollipops for all students, except for [Daughter],
who was intentionally left out. So, wrongfully, [Daughter] managed to right this wrong with her own wrongdoing, by
taking one lollipop, although none was intended for her...

In a separate encounter, another student, [Student Name 2], said she'll invite all classmates with white skin to her
BD, but not [Daughter]. That would be ok if it weren't for the racial reasons she laid out: she likes [Daughter]. But she'd
"prefer if her skin were peach"... She even suggested that [Daughter] gets her "mom to buy her a spray that turns brown skin
white" so she can attend the birthdays party... This is discriminatory and unacceptable.

We've been in Michigan for less than a year. I should say, so far, we enjoy it. For background, as immigrant, we've always
been in the minority. So, we're comfortable there. We fit right in, being out of place, as locales" often view us as the
"foreigners" we still are... I say this because (without making any excuses to the reported incident) at the root of our daughter's
out-of-character behavior, is the environment she is immersed in.

Our hope is that [School Name] offers a healthy environment:

One where supervising adults (teachers and administrators) are not only in tune with, but also shaping the
prevailing culture amongst kids, ever-mindful of our natural biases (both conscious and unconscious),
One where children are taught to treat everyone with respect, empathy and dignity,
One where, on the one parts, white students are taught and prepared to live in a world that looks nothing like
the one their parents and grand-parents grew up in, while on the other minority kids' sense of belonging, contributions
and self-confidence are built-up and encouraged
One where Diversity is just the invaluable norm,
One that teaches all kids that we're different, yet all the same, breeding open-mindedness, acceptance and
worldliness.

We embarked on the MI journey, crossing [School Name], in hopes that this place could help us develop true global citizens.
We now find, that just maybe, there might be some good learning in-store for the very community we joined, to also raise
children of their own, who can learn early on in life, that they must prepare to live and succeed in a diverse environment, using
values and principles infused in them by caring, inclusive, globally-minded parents, and educational partners like [School
Name], and other forward-looking institutions and families, along the way.

We truly hope that all kids we encounter (be they Blacks, Whites Browns and all in-between... ), not just ours, grow into true
global citizen, equipped with the right experiences, skills and mindset necessary to strive, without ever feeling bothered or
diminished by their otherness. We certainly expect that [School Name] cultivates a safe environment, where no child is treated
differently due to his/her difference (whether color or disability).

If you deem this may warrant getting together for more discussion, we're happy to come in.

Thanks again for all you do--we have a profound appreciation for educators, because, we are a product of profound impacts
people in your field have had on our own development, long ago). In the end, it sure takes a village...

Most sincerely,
Mohamed & Madina
[School Principal] <****> Sun, May 22, 2016 at 5:45 PM
To: Mohamed Ly <****>
Cc: "School Admin" <****>
Hi Mohamed and Madina,

Please know that we celebrate all students and every child must be treated with respect, dignity, and
compassion. I agree with you~ what was shared with [Daughter] was absolutely unacceptable. I
would like to talk to [School Admin] tomorrow and get back with you later in the day. I am including
her on this response. I would be happy to meet with you to discuss what has happened.

Thank you for your patience, as I look into this further.

[Principal]

Sent from my iPhone

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