INDIANAPOLIS, IN,
March 10, 2023 -- Laura Wilkerson, a
mother of biracial twins, has filed a lawsuit [Case Number:
49D13-2303-CT-009826] against Fairview Presbyterian Early Childhood Daycare
Center for Racial Discrimination in violation of §1981 of the Civil Rights Act
of 1986 and Malicious Reporting among other claims.
Wilkerson enrolled her twins at Fairview on
September 1, 2022, with the expectation of a safe and welcoming environment for
her children’s care and education. However, less than three weeks after
enrolling her children, Fairview staff accused Wilkerson of child abuse based
on the presence of Mongolian
birthmarks on one of the
twins’ skin. The complaint alleges the staff's actions were taken in bad faith,
with the intention of creating a hostile environment and forcing Wilkerson to
withdraw her bi-racial children from the institution.
Despite the fact that Mongolian birthmarks are
commonly found in African-American children and are not signs of abuse, it is
alleged that Fairview staff reported the suspected abuse to Child Protective
Services (CPS). According to a report from CPS, it was confirmed that the
birthmarks were not a sign of abuse, but the damage had already been done.
Wilkerson's privacy was violated when CPS invaded her home and took unconsented
photos. She suffered from mental distress and even suffered a seizure as a
result of the stress.
“Fairview notified Ms. Wilkerson, who is a
single mother, that her children were no longer enrolled a few days after the
false report to CPS,” says Attorney Hamid Saahir, one of the lawyers
representing Laura Wilkerson. He added, “Ms. Wilkerson also attended this
daycare center as a child, yet she believes that because it was determined that
her children are bi-racial, the daycare center found a way to force them out.”
Rev. David Greene, Sr., president of the
Concerned Clergy of Indianapolis said, “There should be no place for racism in
a childcare facility. Our children should not have to be subjected to such
treatment before they can even walk or talk.”
Attorneys for Ms. Wilkerson contend that she
trusted Fairview to be a safe space for her children's care and education, but
instead, she and her children experienced racial discrimination firsthand.
“The actions of Fairview staff were
reprehensible, and as a result they will now have to answer for those actions,”
said Attorney S. Todd Yeary, another attorney for Wilkerson.
This case highlights the importance of creating
a welcoming and inclusive environment in childcare facilities and early
childhood education. Laura Wilkerson and her attorneys believe that Fairview's
actions were not only wrong but also harmful to her children and her family.