NH Elementary School Student Target Of 'Racial Incident' On Bus

DURHAM, N.H. (CBS) – A New Hampshire school district is investigating an incident on a school bus where an elementary-aged student was the target of alleged racist comments and physical contact.

Oyster River Cooperative School District Superintendent James Morse said the student was on the afternoon bus on September 1 when he was "taunted by another boy using racial comments."

The incident was reported to the school's principal. Disciplinary action was taken and Durham Police were notified.

Morse also said racial jokes were reported at the middle school in town. Disciplinary action was taken in that case as well.

"These issues have given me significant pause," Morse said. "There is no room for racism, sexism, homophobia, or antisemitism in our schools. Incidents likes this cannot simply be fixed with punishments. We need to look at how we treat each other and how we expect others to treat us as members of the same human community."

Morse said he has been in contact with the NAACP and other organizations for guidance on how to prevent incidents from happening in the future.

The school is planning to hold a multicultural forum in the near future.

"In the interest of transparency, we are bringing this information forward now to let the community know that these incidents did occur, and we are responding directly, and we are now taking actions to address the root cause of these types of acts," Morse said. "The health, safety, and well-being of our students comes first. There is no place for intolerance in Oyster River."