They tormented my new friend for being a "mixed blood"? Is there anything I, a student, can do?

This week, a new student arrived at my high school. She is new in the area and and is from the opposite end of the country. Both of us hit it off pretty well. She excels in English as do I, and we have have a passion for the Arts. She also is skeptical of Twlight (yeah!). We are two happy literature nerds. I do believe it is the start of a beautiful friendship.

BUT…she is Lebanese and Italian, roughly. It shows. Now I myself, don’t care. She’s sweet and fun, and I love hangin’ with her. However, fellow others in the student bodu feel differently. These students rail about “white nationalism” and “evil race mixing,” and other bull****. They name call and leave wet toilet paper in her locker, among other things. It all causes her tears, but she’s timid and just takes it.

Today, they went way to far. It was after lunch break. Of course all high school girls skip to the gossip bathroom after eating, right? Naturally, I stopped there on the way from my locker. There, the “jock-ess” squad was giving her a full blown session of toilet torture. I lost it, and my Alegbra book made contact with the face of their leader….and my big mouth fired several verbal rounds. Of course the “errand girl” of the group fetched their favorite teacher, so I now I face detention on Monday. The drama/cheer squad faces nothing.

My parents sympathize with my cause, but consider my behavior impulsive and rash. My friend says she is grateful, but I may just have made it worse. Her mother blames her for “encouraging” the torture.

Anyway, wise and adultish Flutherites, what do you think I should do in this situation? My new closest friend is being picked on for being a “half-breed”. The school appears to be on the side of the tormentors, and her single parent mom blames her. I’m already off to to a bad start trying to help in this situation (violence is probably not the best course, I realize). Help? It looks like I’m her only defender at the moment…and I’m botching it.