Virginia Beach NAACP ‘deeply disturbed' by reports of racial harassment at Kellam High School
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) — The Virginia Beach NAACP released a statement after reports of alleged racial harassment occurring at Kellam High School.
Report: Kellam student received racist harassment from other students
In a letter sent out to the community on Thursday, a Kellam High School student allegedly received racist harassment from a group of other students at the school. The Virginia Beach NAACP stated they were 'deeply disturbed' by the news.
The Virginia Beach Branch of the NAACP President Dr. Eric Majette issued the following statement:
'The rise in emboldened racist behavior in recent years is alarming and unacceptable. Racism should have no place in our schools, our communities, or anywhere in society. It is especially troubling that our youth must continue to endure the painful reality of discrimination. The Virginia Beach NAACP is committed to ensuring that all residents, especially African Americans, can live without fear or undue anxiety due to the color of their skin.We will continue to monitor this situation closely and look forward to the findings of the ongoing investigation by Virginia Beach Public Schools. We call upon school administrators, educators, and community leaders to take decisive action in addressing these incidents and fostering an environment of respect, inclusion, and accountability.In the tradition of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., the Virginia Beach NAACP remains steadfast in our fight against injustice and racism, recognizing its continued threat to justice everywhere. We also echo the call for unity made by Malcolm X in January 1965, underscoring the painful reality that nearly six decades later, this struggle persists.The Virginia Beach NAACP demands that Virginia Beach Public Schools uphold its commitment to equity and justice by implementing stronger measures to prevent and address racism in our educational institutions. We will not stand by while our children suffer the consequences of intolerance.'
The involved students are being disciplined in accordance to the school division's code of student conduct. The school district reiterated its zero tolerance policy for racial discrimination and harassment.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
Activists take to streets to protest ICE in Southeast Baltimore
Over 100 activists from diverse backgrounds filled the streets of Highlandtown, banging drums, carrying signs, and chanting 'ICE out of Baltimore' in protest of deportation efforts targeting residents performing everyday activities like shopping for groceries or buying gasoline. The Wednesday rally, sponsored by the immigrant advocacy organization CASA, featured local families affected by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement or ICE, alongside Baltimore City council members Odette Ramos, Mark Parker and Jermaine Jones and state Del. Robbyn Lewis, who each became emotional when talking about the impact of ICE on Baltimore neighborhoods. Several of the residents wore shirts that read 'Jews United for Justice' and others carried placards saying 'Immigrants Are Essential' and 'Families Belong Together, Not in Cages.' The mass of activists marched down blocks of Fayette Street, sometimes tying up traffic but also receiving honks of approval from the waiting motorists. 'As you can imagine, I am angry. All of you should be angry,' said Ramos, who grew teary at times. 'Our neighbors are being treated so inhumanely only because they are not from here. And if they are coming for them, they are coming for us.' Ramos blamed the Trump administration's mass deportation policy. 'It is unacceptable, absolutely unacceptable,' she said. CASA reported 16 undocumented individuals have been taken by ICE in retail areas for the past three weeks in Baltimore. One of these instances was part of the viral video clip posted by the White House showing the arrest of five individuals at Home Depot on Eastern Avenue on May 20. The nonprofit organization also reported ICE agents taking an unknown amount of people at the Hazlo grocery store in Highlandtown Village on three different days. Baltimore communities have reported an escalation in ICE detentions in the past few weeks. 'No human being is illegal here, and I think what ICE is doing currently, especially our current administration, is very inhumane,' said Erika Rios, a protester from Prince George's County. 'Refuge is a human right. A lot of people come here for a better life that their economy or political status from their country isn't providing for them.' ICE officials could not be reached for comment. Lewis, who represents the sixth legislative district, grew teary-eyed as she spoke about how the individuals being targeted by ICE are similar to African Americans who escaped enslavement in this country through the Underground Railroad. The former slaves were helped to freedom by good neighbors, she said. 'The tactics that are being used today to terrorize our neighborhood residents, Marylanders, have been used and perfected in this country against African Americans,' Lewis said. 'And those abolitionists went out of their way because their strong morality helped us. So it was my destiny to live in this moment so I can use my energy to help others. This is the way of thanking the abolitionists who helped my ancestors.' Protests initially erupted in Los Angeles over immigration enforcement raids. In response, President Donald Trump called in the National Guard troops and Marines to restore order. Demonstrations have now spread to other cities, such as Baltimore, Washington, Seattle and Austin. Many protests have been peaceful but there have been clashes with police that have resulted in arrests. Bishop Angel Nuñez of the Bilingual Christian Fellowship pointed out that the activists in Baltimore were peaceful and not resorting to violence. One resident who identified himself as Dedrick worried the protests and marches would provoke those in power. 'This is going to make them angry,' he said on the street as the activists marched past him. 'I understand, you're angry and this is the only way you know how to do it. March. My people did it and see where it got us: Martin Luther King got killed.' Others noted the protests were needed to stop the aggressive enforcement. 'We are losing families that were doing the work that some of us refuse to do: clean your house, cut your grass, clean fish for you, your restaurants, the good foods,' said Garry Bien-Aime, executive director of the Committee Haiti, a nonprofit in Baltimore advocating for the Haitian community. Have a news tip? Contact Todd Karpovich at tkarpovich@ or on X as @ToddKarpovich or Stella Canino-Quinones at scanino-quinones@
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Yahoo
Three Virginia high school students seeking $10M in lawsuit over principal's accusation of ‘racist harassment'
Three Virginia high school students are suing their principal, alleging defamation for being called racist over a birthday card and gift they gave a fellow student they insist is a friend. Three students at Kellam High School in Virginia Beach say Ryan Schubart, the school's principal, 'published materially false and defamatory statements in an email addressed to the entire student body on or about March 13, 2025,' according to reporting from WAVY. The students are seeking $10 million in damages. According to court documents obtained by the outlet, the principal claimed the students engaged in 'racist harassment' and 'will be disciplined to the fullest extent possible.' The plaintiffs were reportedly part of a 'close friend group,' which included a student who was allegedly a victim of racial harassment. Tim Anderson, an attorney representing the students, said: 'They shouldn't have been brought out to the town square and castigated in front of the entire community, with adults weighing in, calling them racist. You don't do that to children. It ruins their lives.' He added that what Schubart wrote in the email was not an accurate reflection of what occurred. Per court records, on March 12, the birthday of the alleged victim, the plaintiffs 'presented the gift recipient with a gift intended as a joke consisting of handwritten notes on a birthday card, a bag of fried chicken, and various candy, which was received in the same spirit as a friendly gift by the recipient.' The entire encounter lasted between two to three minutes, court records state. Security footage of the incident showed 'The plaintiffs, the gift recipient and other students laughing, hugging and engaging in friendly behavior.' In his email, the principal wrote that a staff member intervened after witnessing the exchange, which Anderson disputes. 'The principal said that a teacher had to break up the incident that didn't happen,' he told the TV station. 'We have video evidence [that this] absolutely did not happen.' 'All of these boys were close friends. The Black child, [it] was his birthday,' Anderson said. 'The boys were bringing him a gift for his birthday, a gift that he asked for. The child said that the card that was given to him was funny.' He continued: '[The] principal had all that information, but he omitted it, and he spun it up as this is an incident of racial harassment, racial bullying.' The attorney claims the plaintiffs 'have been threatened and property damage has occurred.' The boys have also been removed from the school. The Independent has emailed Kellam High School for comment.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Yahoo
$10M defamation lawsuit filed against Kellam High School principal over 'racist harassment' incident
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) – The families of three Kellam High School students are suing the school's principal, Ryan Schubart, alleging he 'published materially false and defamatory statements in an email addressed to the entire student body on or about March 13, 2025.' Schubart's email claimed that the students engaged in 'racist harassment' and that 'the students involved will be disciplined to the fullest extent possible.' But the civil complaint says that the plaintiffs were part of a 'close friend group' that included the student alleged to have been the victim of racist harassment. The incident took place on March 12, the birthday of the alleged victim. According to the lawsuit, before the start of school, the plaintiffs 'presented the gift recipient with a gift intended as a joke consisting of handwritten notes on a birthday card, a bag of fried chicken, and various candy, which was received in the same spirit as a friendly gift by the recipient.' The lawsuit also claims that security camera footage of the incident shows 'the plaintiffs, the gift recipient, and other students laughing, hugging, and engaging in friendly behavior,' and that the entire encounter lasted '2-3 minutes.' The three plaintiffs, who are remaining anonymous due to the sensitive nature of the allegations, were subsequently removed from the school, and according to the lawsuit, 'have been threatened and property damage has occurred.' 10 On Your Side's Cheyenne Pagan is interviewing attorney Tim Anderson, who is representing the three students, and will provide updates as they are made available. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
