ANNA, Ill. (WSIL) -- Sixteen-year old Rayshaun Cannon's voice shook as he recounted a conversation he had with his principal in May.
The now-junior student at Anna-Jonesboro Community High School says it began about two months ago when students began calling him racial slurs.
"I was being called the 'n-word,'" Cannon said. "[Teachers] wouldn't do anything about it. They just said just try and stay away from it as best you can."
On May 5, Cannon said he went to the school's principal, and football coach Brett Detering to air his complaints.
"He told me that since we're both of race it doesn't matter and there's only two weeks left," Cannon said. "After he told me that I felt worthless. I felt like no one would help me."
Cannon secretly recorded the 19-minute conversation with Detering. Cannon shared the recording with his father, who then called the school.
The next day, Cannon was called into the principal's office. The special education student says he requested to call his parents.
"They wouldn't let me. So they left me there in tears," Cannon said. "They took my phone from me illegally, wouldn't let me leave the office until I gave them my phone. They tried going through it."
Rayshaun says at that moment, his father Roger arrived at the school. Roger says was angry at how his son was treated and began yelling at administrators.
"What father wouldn't be upset when two grown men pull their 16-year old son into an office and intimidate him and threaten him to where he's in tears?" Roger said.
The school sent Rayshaun a two-day suspension notice on May 7. School officials wrote that Rayshaun violated the school's recording policy. The letter also contained a line from Illinois' eavesdropping law.
Roger says the school threatened to press felony state charges if the family used the recording against Detering. Roger believes it's an intimidation tactic to keep them quiet.
On May 17, the school board sent a letter to Roger barring him from school-sponsored events for one year. Roger then called Linda Flowers, president of the Carbondale NAACP.
"You can't say that it's okay for this kid because you don't know how that kid or any kid or how any adult will internalize [racial slurs]," Flowers said.
The civil rights group is now investigating racism allegations against Detering. It plans to collect evidence from the school board and pass it on to the Illinois NAACP.
"For years and years we assume that the adult or the person in power is the one telling the truth," Flowers said. "We shall see."
During closed session, Flowers spoke to 18-year old Aalayah Alexander-Vaughn, a former student at the high school.
Alexander-Vaughn left AJCHS in 2020 after she says students called her racial slurs multiple times. In the first incident, she says Detering spoke to the student, who later apologized.
But in following offenses, Aalayah says Detering offered to switch her classes so she could avoid contact with students saying racist remarks. Aalayah felt the option was unfair and left the school.
"They whitewash everything and we as people of color don't get to experience our culture in the classroom," Alexander-Vaughn said. "What do you expect? I'm Black in a predominantly White area."
Meanwhile, Rayshaun is getting ready to sign up for the marines after his junior year, following in his great-grandfather's footsteps.
Roger hopes the investigation results in Detering's termination. Roger believes this could be a big step towards bringing diversity to the school and eliminating a culture of racism.
"I will never be able to understand how [racism] makes [Rayshaun] feel because I'm White, just like every employee at that school and like every board member at that school," Roger said.
"They're all white. So they don't understand and will never be able to understand how it makes these kids feel."
So far, Detering is not commenting on the story and deferred all comments to Superintendent Rob Wright, who has declined to comment on the allegations at this time.
