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NAACP alleges toxic atmosphere at South Seattle College

The Seattle NAACP today accused South Seattle College of tolerating a toxic atmosphere of bullying and discrimination that includes racist symbols scrawled onto bathroom walls.

A group of union custodians from South Seattle College braved a cold rain to say the administration here has been cold to their demands and what they say is a toxic atmosphere.
 
"We have been struggling with bullying, harassment, favoritism and racial discrimination," said Dione Mack, a South Seattle College custodian.
 
They found swastikas scratched onto a bathroom wall at the college.
 
They also found the hashtag #NoLivesMatter scratched onto a bathroom wall. They say it's a rebuke to the concept that Black Lives Matter.
 
As a Muslim woman, Koss Girrey says she's suffered verbal abuse during all her 12 years at South Seattle.
 
"They told me, everybody knows that America don't like Muslim people."
 
She also showed pictures of her car, which she says is constantly vandalized in the college parking lot. It's abuse she says she reported to supervisors and human resources.
 
"Nothing done there," she said
 
The Seattle NAACP says it discussed these long-running complaints and more with the college president.
 
"When complaints have been filed with the institution here, nothing has transpired, nothing has been done, said Seattle NAACP President Gerald Hankerson.
 
A spokesman tells us the college did take the allegations seriously, even hiring an outside investigator.
 
But in a statement to KIRO-7, the college says "the independent evaluation found no evidence of discrimination or bullying at South Seattle College"
 
The NAACP rejects this finding.
 
"Trust me when I tell you, a swastika on a restroom wall that a student goes into that is merit," said Hankerson.

We asked to interview the college administrator overseeing the investigation, but they were not on campus today.

A spokesman says the full report will be ready for release next week.