In response to reporting that the white Family Court clerk who used racial slurs to refer to a 15-year-old during a virtual court proceeding was suspended, Legal Aid released a statement hoping that this moment would serve as an illuminating opportunity for the New York State Office of Court Administration and all New Yorkers to better understand and recognize the real and overt racial biases that impact our young clients every day in courthouses around NewYork City, as reported by Gothamist.

“This move signals a commitment to address this abhorrent behavior with a zero-tolerance policy. Young New Yorkers and their families who appear in Family Court, the overwhelming majority from communities of color, deserve dignified and respectful treatment from a system that too often fails to provide it,” said Dawne Mitchell, Attorney-In-Charge of the Juvenile Rights Practice at The Legal Aid Society.