In a recent Facebook post, grandmother Michelle Watts accused Highland Baptist Christian School in New Iberia, Louisiana, of racial harassment and unfair disciplinary practices toward her granddaughter, a senior student.
Michelle Watts claims her granddaughter has been repeatedly subjected to racially charged insults and physical mistreatment by students, while school authorities have failed to respond adequately.
The allegations, including incidents during the school year and Homecoming week, have drawn strong reactions from the community, raising questions about student safety and the broader climate at the private institution.
Watts recounts that earlier in the school year, a white male student told her granddaughter to “go to the kitchen and make him a sandwich,” a comment Watts considers racially offensive.
She claims the school did not take disciplinary action because the student is the child of two teachers.
Watts argues that this incident reflects a systemic bias at Highland Baptist, where staff and students reportedly treat her granddaughter differently because of her race, acknowledging her only superficially while otherwise ignoring her presence.
A second, more severe incident reportedly occurred when another white male student spat on her granddaughter following an argument.
When the granddaughter reported the event to the school’s basketball coach, Watts claims the coach responded by saying that in a public school, she “would’ve got punched in the damn mouth.”
Watts considers the remark unprofessional and dismissive, framing victim reporting as undeserving of attention.
According to her account, the student who spat was not disciplined.
At the same time, her granddaughter was reprimanded, highlighting an alleged disparity in the enforcement of school rules and favoritism toward students connected to staff and wealthier families.
The situation escalated further during Homecoming week on October 15, 2025. Watts states that three boys on a freshman float sprayed water on her granddaughter and herself during the parade.
When confronted, the students reportedly admitted they thought the act was acceptable.
Later, at the school’s prep rally and bonfire, her granddaughter was publicly embarrassed during a parent-student dance performance.
While other senior families participated with coordinated shirts, fans, and poster boards, her granddaughter remained seated alone in tears, unaware that the event was meant to honor students and their families.
Watts claims that multiple meetings with the principal yielded no resolution.
She describes the school climate as dismissive toward Black students, with staff prioritizing wealthier families and allowing inappropriate behavior to go unpunished.
As per Watts, these incidents are not isolated but symptomatic of broader issues at Highland Baptist, including systemic racial bias, discipline, and lack of accountability.
The Facebook post has prompted strong reactions from community members. Commenters expressed outrage and support for Watts’ granddaughter.
Neice Jae, a graduate of New Iberia Senior High School, wrote,
The cops would have been involved with the spit incident. Take her away from that school.
Neice Jae
Another encouraged Watts’ advocacy, stating, “Get ’em,” while others criticized the school for a perceived culture of favoritism and neglect.
