Girl threatened over Of Mice and Men interview
- Published
Apolonia Mbondiya said a police officer visited the family home to tell them of the threat against her daughter
A threat has been made against a teenage girl who called for a novel containing racial slurs to be removed from the GCSE curriculum.
Of Mice and Men is one of seven books that schools in Northern Ireland and Wales can pick for teaching.
In a BBC News NI interview, Angel said hearing the slurs and the N-word in the classroom made her uncomfortable.
The girl's mother, Apolonia Mbondiya said a police officer visited their Belfast home earlier this week.
The police said they do not comment on an individual's security.
The family are now having to put security measures in place at home and at Angel's school.
The John Steinbeck novel, which is set in California in the 1930s, has a character who faces discrimination because he is black.
"It's a very violent book to begin with but it's mostly just to do with racism and how that affects me and some other black students in my class," Angel told BBC News NI last week.
"It's just really uncomfortable sitting in a classroom where we have to listen to racist slurs and comments.
"I understand the history behind it and stuff but you can learn that in history about slavery."
'You don't threaten a child'
Apolonia said she and her daughter were shocked at what had happened.
"I didn't think that the interview... what she said, how she felt, would cause anyone to put a threat on her life," said Apolonia.
"Difference of opinion is allowed but you don't threaten someone, especially a child, when they're expressing what is affecting them in school."
Apolonia said she was worried about her daughter's safety but felt she had to speak out and condemn those behind the threat.
"Are we saying we shouldn't speak about issues that are affecting us in this society?
"I believe we are in a democratic society - we are allowed to express how we feel in a proper way,
"What are we teaching children that you can't express yourself - you cannot speak up?
"Are we saying that they should just keep holding things in?"