Supreme Court Recognition of “Boy” as Racially Discriminatory

There are U.S. Supreme Court and federal appellate cases where calling a Black man “boy” was recognized as evidence of racial discrimination or harassment.

For example:

• Ash v. Tyson Foods, Inc. (U.S. Supreme Court, 2006)
• A white supervisor referred to Black employees as “boy.”
• The Supreme Court ruled that the term “boy,” depending on context, tone, and history, can constitute racially discriminatory language.
• Courts note that because of its racist history, “boy” carries a powerfully offensive racial connotation when used toward Black men.

Why “Boy” Is Racist When Directed at Black Men

For over a century—during slavery, Jim Crow, and well into the Civil Rights era—white people used “boy” toward Black men as a way to:

• Deny them adulthood
• Deny them respect
• Assert racial superiority
• Humiliate them publicly

It was a verbal tool of dominance used by slave owners, police, employers, and white society to reinforce the idea that Black men were not equal citizens.

Calling a Black man “boy” was never neutral; it was used intentionally to belittle and demean.

How This Applies at Channel Point Apartments

This historical and legal context became directly relevant at Channel Point Apartments when the African-American resident reported being called “boy” by another tenant who resides on the property. According to the resident, he calmly confronted the man and explained that the term was racist, demeaning, and deeply rooted in Jim Crow–era subjugation.

Significance of the Offender Being Married to the Property Manager

The situation carried even greater significance because the individual who used the term is married to the property manager, Kathy Scheiwe, the person who holds direct authority over tenant complaints, lease enforcement, security involvement, and the handling of discrimination issues. This relationship places the man in a position of indirect power within the community and magnifies the impact of his words. When the spouse of the person running the property uses racialized language toward a Black resident, it raises serious concerns about the neutrality, fairness, and racial climate of the entire management structure.

Residents expressed that this connection amplifies the harm because discriminatory language used by someone tied directly to management may reflect or reinforce the attitudes and treatment African-American tenants experience when dealing with the leasing office. Under civil-rights law, such relational dynamics are highly relevant in assessing whether discrimination is isolated, systemic, tolerated, or influenced by those with authority.

The Black resident reported that instead of acknowledging the historical and legal weight of the term “boy,” the man dismissed the concern entirely. Combined with his wife’s status as the property manager, the resident felt belittled, unsafe, and vulnerable to potential retaliation simply for objecting to racist language. Other tenants have since stated that the incident further eroded trust in the fairness and impartiality of management, particularly given the spousal connection.

This confrontation is not viewed as a standalone insult, but rather as evidence of a racially hostile environment—one that aligns with the Supreme Court’s recognition in Ash v. Tyson Foods that the word “boy” can constitute racial discrimination when directed at a Black man in a context of unequal power.

Nebraska Roots and Historical Context

Brent and Kathy Scheiwe previously lived in Nebraska—a state with a documented history of segregation through redlining, racially restricted neighborhoods, segregated schools, and exclusionary public-space practices. Though less publicly discussed than Southern Jim Crow, Nebraska maintained a racial hierarchy that shaped social norms and attitudes for decades. Residents questioned whether these influences played a role in the conduct seen on September 11 where Brent was ordered by Community Manager to confront a disabled Afrian-American resident who was walking through a common-ara Clubhouse of the Channel Point Apartment (Managed by Greystart) property where he resided.

Related Articles

• CSULB Employee Brent Scheiwe Makes “Jim-Crow” Era Racial Slur, Assaults Disabled African-American Resident
• Trump Sends National Guard to Guard the White House; Greystar Hires Private Security to Block African-American Resident From Clubhouse After Civil Rights Complaint
• Conflict of Interest Concerns Between Greystar Management and California State University, Long Beach (CSULB)