Sierra went to answer it, checking through the peepphole first. A new habit since the brick incident. Three more students stood outside with their parents. Word had spread quietly through the school's minority community. The Carters were fighting back.
By evening, they had seven statements. Each story followed the same pattern. Harassment, threats, administrative indifference. Some parents cried while their children spoke. Others sat in stone-faced anger.
This goes back years, Patricia Jones said, looking through the statements. How did we let this happen? Fear, Dante replied. They made everyone feel alone. But not anymore.
Sierra's phone buzzed. A text from Ila Norris, the civil rights attorney they'd contacted. She was on her way. Ila arrived precisely on time. Her briefcase wellworn but professional.
She had handled discrimination cases across three states, building a reputation for turning systemic failures into lasting change. This is exactly what we need, she said, reviewing the statements. Pattern and practice shows it's not isolated incidents. She spread documents across the table where the family's statements had been. The school board's trying to rush Sierra's expulsion hearing.
They want it done before we can organize. Can they do that? Sierra asked. They can try, Ila smiled. But they don't know what's coming.
She pulled out more papers, legal motions, precedent cases, civil rights statutes. First, we file for an emergency injunction to block the expulsion. That buys us time. Then we demand an outside investigation into the district's handling of racial complaints. The sheriff's department will fight it, Dante noted.
Let them, Ila replied. Every time they resist, they prove our point. Sierra watched Ila work, admiring her calm precision. It reminded her of her father planning missions, seeing three moves ahead, turning opponents strength against them. We'll need more than statements, Ila continued.
Photos, videos, emails, anything showing how they handled or mishandled complaints. I have the recordings, Sierra said, pulling out her phone. She'd kept the microphone running through classes, capturing casual threats and slurs. Perfect. And the security footage from your assault?
The school claims it was accidentally deleted, Dante said. Ila made a note. Convenient. We'll add spolation of evidence to the complaint. She worked late into the night, her fingers flying over her laptop keyboard.