Father Tells School Meeting About Racist Bullying Son Faced, Asked Why He Didn't 'Stay in Mexico'

A Michigan father who tried to speak out about the racist bullying his son had endured in school was reportedly asked why his family didn't just "stay in Mexico" during a meeting on Monday specifically aimed at addressing racism within the school district.

Recounting his son's suffering during his time within the Saline Area Schools district just outside Ann Arbor, Adrian Iraola, who owns a restaurant serving Mexican cuisine in the area, told fellow parents and educational workers of how his son used to cry himself to sleep at night over the bullying he faced.

"I remember when I went to his bedroom to say goodnight and he was crying because of the abuse he was enduring in this school system," Iraola can be seen telling the room in video published by Fox 2 Detroit.

That is when another man in the room can be heard cutting in, asking: "Then why didn't you stay in Mexico?" as others in the room gasp.

As crowd members begin to question the man's comments, the individual, who appears to be white, raises his hands up in a questioning manner. "I mean, are you kidding me?" he says.

Whatever followed the exchange cannot be seen in the video. Newsweek has reached out to Iraola for comment on the incident, while the other man involved, has not been identified by Fox 2 Detroit.

According to MLive.com, Michigan's largest local news website, which does name the second man involved in the incident, but says journalists were unable to confirm his identity, said Iraola's son had been called derogatory names such as "taco" and "enchilada" during his time within the Saline Area Schools district.

It is unclear when his son would have been a student, but, he said, that his son eventually went on to earn a master's degree from Johns Hopkins University before obtaining a government job.

Of the bullying his son faced, Iraola said: "Those experiences leave a deep mark in their memories."

"Embrace who you are because the bumps and bruises can make you a better person if you have the strength and the faith that can take you where you want to go," he said. Referring to his son, he added: "That taco, that enchilada, is working for the U.S. government now."

Iraola's son is far from the first pupil to have faced alleged racism within the school district. The community-wide meeting on Monday had been organized to address racism within the school district after black student football players were reportedly sent racist messages over Snapchat.

Brian Wright, a parent of one of the students targeted in the messages, also spoke out at the meeting, praising his son and other students who have faced abuse for their "courage" in continuing to show up everyday, despite the abuse they have faced.

"I said 'why do you want to stay?'" Wright said, describing an exchange with his son. "He says, 'if I leave then they win, right?'" he said. "That's showing the courage of the black kids that come to school every day and again we as parents have to figure out how do we show them our support."

In a letter sent out to parents about the incident, which was brought to the school district's attention last Monday, Superintendent Scott Graden said the words used by other students were "deplorable."

"We strongly denounce the actions and words of these students," the superintendent said.

Wright said that while the school recognized "harm had been done to students of color in Saline" who had seen the post, the incident could also be an "opportunity for us...to stand for anti-racism, respect and inclusion of all students."

Newsweek has contacted Saline Area Schools for further comment.