Racial Profiling of Juveniles and Students

The Reality Kids Face in Schools and Streets

Imagine being young and just trying to live your life. Heading to class, hanging out after school, or walking home. 

For many kids of color in New York, those moments aren’t simple. They’re shadowed by suspicion, harsh stares, or direct confrontations that other kids never experience. Racial profiling doesn’t wait until adulthood. It starts early, and it cuts deep.

The pain hits differently when you’re young. Students who should be focused on sports, grades, or friendships instead carry anxiety from being targeted. They’re left wondering why they were singled out, why authority figures treated them like criminals, and what it says about their place in the world. That kind of trauma doesn’t fade quickly.

New York law recognizes the seriousness of these harms. Both state and federal protections give young people legal tools to push back when schools, police, or businesses cross the line. 

Our racial profiling attorneys at Horn Wright, LLP, have taken these cases seriously, because no child should carry scars from being treated unfairly before they’re even grown.

When Schools and Security Go Too Far

Public schools are supposed to be safe spaces for kids. Instead, profiling sometimes starts in the very halls meant to protect them. 

In New York, school safety officers, administrators, and even teachers sometimes let bias creep into daily interactions. Kids of color are stopped, searched, or disciplined more harshly than their peers for the same behavior.

It shows up in hallways, cafeterias, or during school events. Maybe one group of students is pulled aside during lunch, while others are left alone. Maybe an officer demands a bag search before a dance, targeting certain kids while ignoring others. These aren’t isolated incidents. They form patterns that pile up into systemic discrimination.

The numbers back it up. Studies consistently show that Black and Latino students in New York schools face disproportionate suspensions, expulsions, and arrests. Behind those statistics are real students losing time in class, opportunities for growth, and in some cases, futures derailed by juvenile records.

Everyday Situations Where Juveniles Get Profiled

It’s jarring when the everyday, even a mall outing after school or a sports event on campus, turns into something traumatic. You never expect to be singled out just for being young and of color. But it happens more often than we’d like. These are some of the real-life moments where profiling shows up:

School gatherings and police overreach

In one troubling instance, Nassau County police arrested 19 South Asian high school students who were simply gathered on a school field after hours. White students in the same group weren’t arrested or harassed. These kids were fingerprinted, held for hours, and mocked with all charges later dismissed for lack of evidence. That’s profiling on public school property, plain and unfair.

Mall or public hangouts gone wrong

When students of color head out after school, sometimes a casual hangout in a public place turns into a stop-and-search by security. Without real cause. It happens more than you’d guess and can feel terrifying when you’re just trying to relax with friends.

After-school or curfew-style stops

Police or school security might approach students walking home, or even kids waiting for the bus, questioning them more aggressively than others. It can feel like you’re suspected just for being seen in the “wrong area,” even when there’s no reason to stop you. 

Classroom confrontations that escalate

Sometimes what begins as a routine hallway or classroom interaction escalates because stereotypes get in the way. A teacher or aide singles out one student and assumes they’re trouble, even if they’re just going about their day. That kind of profiling can spark disciplinary action with long-term consequences.

The Lasting Impact on a Child’s Future

Profiling doesn’t stop when the confrontation ends. Kids carry the effects with them. A wrongful suspension can knock grades off track. An unfair arrest can create a juvenile record that follows them into college applications or job interviews. These setbacks, born of bias, can stick for years.

The emotional toll is just as heavy. Students may withdraw, act out, or struggle with anxiety and depression. They learn to expect hostility instead of fairness from authority figures. That loss of trust makes it harder to succeed in school and harder to feel safe in public.

For families, the stress is crushing. Parents fight to protect their kids while watching opportunities slip away. Younger siblings see what happens and live with the same fear. Profiling a child doesn’t just harm one person—it shakes an entire family.

What Families Can Do When Profiling Happens

When profiling happens to your child, the anger and confusion can feel overwhelming. You may not know what steps to take or where to turn. Acting quickly, though, helps protect your child and hold schools or businesses accountable.

• Document everything right away. Keep detailed notes about the incident—what happened, who was there, and how staff or officers behaved. Save any written communication from the school or police. These details can make or break a claim later.
• Request official records. Ask for copies of suspension letters, arrest reports, or incident write-ups. Schools and law enforcement may not volunteer this paperwork, but you have the right to it. Having these records helps prove your child was treated differently.
• Look for patterns. If this isn’t the first time your child, or other students of color, have been treated unfairly, collect those examples. Courts take patterns of discrimination seriously. One incident can be brushed off; a series of them is harder to ignore.
• Talk to a civil rights attorney early. Legal deadlines for filing complaints can come fast. A lawyer who handles racial profiling and civil rights claims can explain your options and act quickly.

How New York Law Protects Young People

New York has some of the strongest protections in the country when it comes to racial profiling. 

Under the New York State Human Rights Law (N.Y. Exec. Law Section 296), students and juveniles are protected from discrimination in public accommodations—including schools, gyms, and recreational programs. The NYC Human Rights Law (NYC Admin. Code Section 8-107) gives even broader protections inside the five boroughs, making it easier for victims to prove discrimination.

On the federal side, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (42 U.S.C. Section 2000d) prohibits discrimination in schools and programs that receive federal funds. That means public schools, colleges, and even extracurricular activities tied to federal money must treat students equally.

Victims can also bring claims under 42 U.S.C. Section 1983, which allows lawsuits against government officials, including school officers and police, who violate constitutional rights. Together, these laws create a powerful framework in New York for families who want to hold schools, businesses, or security forces accountable.

Building a Strong Case for Juvenile Profiling Claims

A strong case is about more than one story. It’s about building undeniable proof. When kids are profiled, families need evidence that makes bias clear and undeniable.

• Eyewitness statements. Other students, teachers, or bystanders can provide accounts that support your child’s version of events. Credible voices outside the family often sway judges and juries. Their testimony shows it wasn’t just a misunderstanding.
• School and police records. Suspension data, arrest reports, and written complaints can paint a bigger picture. If kids of color are punished more harshly than others, the numbers will show it. Records are often the backbone of these cases.
• Pattern evidence. Past incidents involving the same school, officer, or security guard strengthen the claim. Courts and agencies look closely at whether profiling wasn’t just a “one-time” event but part of a bigger issue. Patterns raise liability.
• Expert testimony. Psychologists can explain the impact of trauma on young people. Education experts can testify about how unfair discipline damages academic growth. These perspectives help judges and juries see beyond the single incident.

Why Experienced Lawyers Are Key for Families

Facing a school district, security company, or police department on your own is tough. They have lawyers, resources, and public relations teams working to minimize liability. Families without representation often feel pressured into quick, unfair resolutions.

An experienced racial profiling lawyer knows how to push back. They know where to find hidden records, how to challenge weak defenses, and how to press for damages that actually reflect the harm your child suffered. More importantly, they understand how to navigate both the legal system and the human side of these cases.

At Horn Wright, LLP, we’ve stood with families across New York—and in our other locations in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, and New Jersey—when kids were profiled. We’ve seen the fear in parents’ eyes and the courage in students who spoke up. 

Our team was honored to be recognized as one of the country’s leading law firms because we fight hard for justice, even against powerful institutions. If your child was targeted, we’re ready to listen, believe, and act. 

One call is all you need to get started. Contact our office today at (855) 465-4622 to arrange your free, no-obligation consultation.