Posted: 03/21/2023
Nicole Borces
Contributing Writer

INDIANAPOLIS, IN, March 10, 2023  -- Laura Wilkerson, a mother of biracial twins, has filed a lawsuit [Case Number: 49D13-2303-CT-009826] against Fairview Presbyterian Early Childhood Daycare Center for Racial Discrimination in violation of §1981 of the Civil Rights Act of 1986 and Malicious Reporting among other claims.

Wilkerson enrolled her twins at Fairview on September 1, 2022, with the expectation of a safe and welcoming environment for her children’s care and education. However, less than three weeks after enrolling her children, Fairview staff accused Wilkerson of child abuse based on the presence of Mongolian birthmarks on one of the twins’ skin. The complaint alleges the staff's actions were taken in bad faith, with the intention of creating a hostile environment and forcing Wilkerson to withdraw her bi-racial children from the institution.

Despite the fact that Mongolian birthmarks are commonly found in African-American children and are not signs of abuse, it is alleged that Fairview staff reported the suspected abuse to Child Protective Services (CPS). According to a report from CPS, it was confirmed that the birthmarks were not a sign of abuse, but the damage had already been done. Wilkerson's privacy was violated when CPS invaded her home and took unconsented photos. She suffered from mental distress and even suffered a seizure as a result of the stress.

“Fairview notified Ms. Wilkerson, who is a single mother, that her children were no longer enrolled a few days after the false report to CPS,” says Attorney Hamid Saahir, one of the lawyers representing Laura Wilkerson. He added, “Ms. Wilkerson also attended this daycare center as a child, yet she believes that because it was determined that her children are bi-racial, the daycare center found a way to force them out.”


Rev. David Greene, Sr., president of the Concerned Clergy of Indianapolis said, “There should be no place for racism in a childcare facility. Our children should not have to be subjected to such treatment before they can even walk or talk.”

Attorneys for Ms. Wilkerson contend that she trusted Fairview to be a safe space for her children's care and education, but instead, she and her children experienced racial discrimination firsthand.

“The actions of Fairview staff were reprehensible, and as a result they will now have to answer for those actions,” said Attorney S. Todd Yeary, another attorney for Wilkerson.

This case highlights the importance of creating a welcoming and inclusive environment in childcare facilities and early childhood education. Laura Wilkerson and her attorneys believe that Fairview's actions were not only wrong but also harmful to her children and her family.

ksmalls@theacphoenixnews.com