My sister Rhiannon wrote this about my niece Allira, who has spent 6 YEARS putting up with this awful behaviour. When she earned a scholarship to a private boarding school, we were so thrilled. And she has appreciated it, and taken advantage of it, and is grateful for it.

But.

The racism she has experienced, both casual and overt, has been shocking. And her mother, my older sister Rhiannon, finally broke this last weekend, after Allira was referred to as a nigger by another private school student, YET AGAIN.

Allira has not been silent about this treatment. She told teachers & staff about racism directed towards her by other private school students in her ‘welcoming’ community. They have done nothing. Even at her own school - the place she is supposed to feel safe and supported.

Yet she is told again and again, and has been since she started at her private boarding school in Year 7, that she should just be ‘grateful’ to be there at all.

She is in Year 12 now. About to do her HSC and graduate. She could have just left and kept quiet.

But Allira, and her mum Rhiannon, want to make sure that they make some kind of change before she goes. That the schools who accept the accolades and bask in the applause of offering scholarships to Aboriginal students, should also TAKE CARE OF THOSE STUDENTS.

Those schools should not just sweep overt racism under the rug. When Aboriginal students are called apes and niggers by others in the private school community, the terrible racist students who used those words should be expelled. No questions asked.

No ‘but what about their promising future’ should come into it. You promised your Aboriginal students a chance at a promising future. Think about them.

My niece Allira, and her mum Rhiannon, just want change. That’s why they asked me to share this, which they were too frightened for me to do at first, but after a day of feeling solidarity and support, they want me to shout it far and wide.

No Aboriginal scholarship student should have to put up with six years of racism and gaslighting by not just other students, but the teachers and private school community protecting the worst among them.

Allira should not feel ‘lucky’ to even be where she is. She should not have been ignored every time she brought up racism since Year 7.

Allira’s school, and others, should have done better. She’s hoping now they will.