by Isaiah Meyer-Crothers, the victim of racial bullying at the hands of NHL prospect Mitchell Miller, released a statement on Wednesday through the Hockey Diversity Alliance.
The statement comes days after the Boston Bruins withdrew their entry-level contract offer to Miller, who was originally selected by Arizona in the fourth round of the 2020 draft.
“I’m Isaiah Meyer Crothers” the declaration can be read on the HDA Twitter account. “I want to make a statement. I’ve been bullied since I was in 1st grade. There weren’t many black kids in my school. I was called “Brownie” and “n——“. Kids said my black mum and dad didn’t love me so I had white parents.
“Mitchell used to ask me to sit on the bus with him and then he and his friends would hit me on the head. This happened throughout my school days. When I was in junior high, Mitchell spat in my face and called me an N-word. I stopped talking because they called me a snitch and I would make fun of myself. I had to say I was “his n——” to sit at his table and he made me clean the whole table.
“He threw food in my face. I was called “n——” every day. The office told me to stay away from him because he wasn’t my friend. After he got expelled from school, his friends started to bully me. He pretended to be my friend and made me do things I didn’t want to do. He beat me up in junior high.
“Everyone thought he was cool, but I don’t understand how someone can be cool when you pick on someone and bully them their whole life. In mid-October, I was getting constant texting every day until I replied to a Snapchat and IG message from Mitchell Miller. He asked me why I always let my parents do things for me and why I couldn’t speak for myself. I told him I don’t care what my parents say, I’m old enough to speak for myself. He told me he was sorry and [that the apology] Ice hockey wasn’t there. He told me he does things in the community and helps the youth and wants to be my friend.
“I told him, ‘This is all cool, but where’s the proof?'” He didn’t give me any [proof]. All the lies that he’s told me for so many years, I don’t believe what Mitchell told me. He has kept asking me to be his friend and that he has changed from what he has done over the years. I told him, “I’m not just going to be your friend after what you did to me.” I’m now getting messages on social media from people calling me “a slow retarded ass clown” and “you stupid N——” and saying that “I need help”. Mitchell is not my friend. It hurts my heart what he did to me. So I wanted to tell everyone – when Mitchell says we’re friends, that’s not true. I can’t take any more of it.”
The statement was written in Meyer-Crother’s own words and edited by the HDA for brevity and clarity.
The Boston Bruins announced Sunday they were parting ways with Miller, just two days after the team signed him to an entry-level deal. Miller had given up his Arizona drafting rights for bullying Meyer-Crothers, a black developmentally disabled classmate, in middle school.
The signing drew criticism from Bruins players, media and fans, as well as comments from NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman that the 20-year-old is currently ineligible to play for the league.
Team president Cam Neely said in a statement the Bruins believed Miller’s bullying of Meyer-Crothers was an isolated incident and reversed course based on new information.
Miller pleaded guilty to assault and a violation of the Ohio Safe Schools Act at the age of 14. He and another teenager were accused of tricking Meyer-Crothers into eating a candy push pop after wiping it down in a bathroom urinal, and surveillance video showed them kicking and hitting him.
“I’m very upset that we made a lot of people unhappy with our decision,” Neely said Monday. “I am proud of the Bruins organization and what we stand for. And that’s where we failed.”
The Coyotes drafted Miller despite knowing of his 2016 assault conviction. The team parted ways with the defender amid criticism after learning more about the bullying.
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