Latest news with #EagleRidgeMiddleSchool
Yahoo
05-05-2025
- Yahoo
Virginia school officials respond to middle schooler's bullying of 5-year-old Asian boy
[Source] Aaron Spence, superintendent of the Loudoun County Public Schools in Virginia, issued a statement on Tuesday condemning a now-viral video showing a middle school student harassing a 5-year-old Asian boy with racial slurs. Catch up: The April 5 incident saw the perpetrator from Eagle Ridge Middle School use ethnic slurs while following the frightened preschooler, who repeatedly pleaded 'Don't hurt me!' as he ran to his home's door. At one point, the younger child is seen covering his face with a blanket while other kids laugh in the background. The victim's parents, Ashley Long and Sean Yang, who immigrated from China, previously shared that their son appeared confused by the slurs, having never heard of them before. The video was reportedly shared in a student chat group before another parent discovered it and alerted the family. What school officials are saying: In his open letter Tuesday, Spence stressed that 'hate speech and racial slurs have no place in our schools or in our community' and encouraged families to 'teach our children to see their classmates and their neighbors not as 'others,' but as fellow human beings deserving of compassion and respect.' He also shared steps the school district is taking to address the situation, including offering mental health support to the victim and his family and resources to the school through its Division of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility. The middle schooler, on the other hand, is expected to undergo 'restorative practices.' Trending on NextShark: The incident has been reported to the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office. The Rebel Yellow has reached out to Long's legal team for updates. A 2021 survey by Act To Change, Admerasia and NextShark found that 80% of Asian Americans have experienced bullying, either in-person or online, while only 38% of Asian American youth report bullying to adults, compared to 63% of their non-Asian peers. Resources are available here. This story is part of The Rebel Yellow Newsletter — a bold weekly newsletter from the creators of NextShark, reclaiming our stories and celebrating Asian American voices. Trending on NextShark: Subscribe free to join the movement. If you love what we're building, consider becoming a paid member — your support helps us grow our team, investigate impactful stories, and uplift our community. Subscribe here now! Trending on NextShark: Download the NextShark App: Want to keep up to date on Asian American News? Download the NextShark App today!
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Yahoo
Loudoun County Public Schools middle schooler calls 5-year-old boy racial slurs in video
LOUDOUN COUNTY, Va. () — A video of a middle schooler calling an Asian American boy racial slurs received local and national attention, sparking outrage among community members who called for action from Loudoun County Public Schools (LCPS). The 5-year-old boy's family shared the , which appears to have been filmed by the middle school student outside of the 5-year-old's house. In the video, you can hear the boy saying, 'No, don't hurt me,' as the middle schooler calls him racial slurs. The boy says, 'Save me,' and tries to run away. At one point, the middle schooler says, 'Listen here, fella. Are you having dumplings for dinner?' 'We will hold you accountable': DC Attorney General sues five drivers for traffic violations, $425K in unpaid fines After about two minutes, the boy's mother opens the door and her son runs inside. LCPS Superintendent Dr. Aaron Spence confirmed that the middle schooler attends Eagle Ridge Middle School, noting that the incident happened outside of school hours and off school grounds. Spence said that racial slurs and hate speech have no place in LCPS schools or in the broader Loudoun County community. 'In a wonderfully diverse county like Loudoun, it is not just our responsibility, it is our moral obligation, to honor the dignity and humanity of each individual,' he wrote in a statement, in part. 'We must teach our children to see their classmates and their neighbors not as 'others,' but as fellow human beings deserving of compassion and respect. We recognize the powerful expectation that schools lead the way in modeling what is right and just. And we embrace that responsibility.' DC Councilmembers weigh in on Commanders stadium deal Eagle Ridge Middle School Principal Scott Phillips shared a similar sentiment, calling the behavior captured in the video 'unacceptable.' Philips said that school officials were treating the matter 'with the seriousness it deserves,' but could not share specific details about individual student records or disciplinary actions. LCPS said it was taking the following steps in light of the incident: Discrimination is not tolerated and incidents of harassment, hate speech and bullying are addressed in the Student Code of Conduct. LCPS policy is already clear on this. Policy 8030 Regulation 8030.3 The school has been directly engaged with the students and parents involved and is offering support through the school's Unified Mental Health Team, including for the 5-year-old child and his family, who were the target of hate speech. The Division of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility is offering supports and resources to the school, and the school's Equity Team is developing a campaign through the school's advisory program to ensure students and staff are reminded about LCPS' expectations for non-discrimination and to help students and staff think about positive and proactive steps we can take to end racial harassment in the school and community. LCPS takes a strong position against these behaviors and has the following resources available for staff, families, and students: Student Mental Health Services Bullying Prevention | Student Services LCPS Protocol for Responding to Racial Slurs and Hate Speech in Schools Immediate Actions A woman said in a Facebook that her friends' 5-year-old was the boy in the video. She shared a statement from the boy's parents in which they called for a 'safer, kinder America.' The parents stated on a website that they reported the incident to the school and police, but that 'accountability remains uncertain.' This moment offers us a chance to pause, reflect, and recommit to the shared values that bind us: inclusion, empathy, and a deep belief in the worth of every person. Let us use this as an opportunity to reset how we treat one another and how we teach our children to do the same. Aaron Spence, LCPS Superintendent Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
29-04-2025
- Yahoo
Middle Schooler Shares Video of Himself Bullying and Calling Preschooler Asian Slurs As the 5-Year-Old Begs 'Don't Hurt Me'
A family is heartbroken after a video of their 5-year-old son being bullied and called ethnic slurs by an older, middle school kid was shared throughout their Virginia community. The mother and father, identified only as Ashely and Shawn, spoke with NBC News4 Saturday, April 26 after a different parent learned of the video and brought it to their attention. In the footage, the 5-year-old's face was blurred from the newscast and the older child did not appear on-camera. The ethic slurs repeatedly said by the older kid, which rhymes with King Kong and can be heard in the uncensored clip published by AsAm News, were also censored by NBC News4. The younger child was seen running away from the middle schooler, ringing the doorbell at his home and begging for help. 'No! Don't hurt me! Don't hurt me!' the 5-year-old said, holding out his hands and putting a jacket over his head for protection. Related: Ex-Univ. Kentucky Student Is Sentenced to Prison for Racist Attack on Black Student He also asked nearby kids to 'save' him as the others laughed. The child who was recording asked the Asian boy if he was having 'dumplings' for dinner. As the mother opened the front door, unaware of what had just happened and her child ran inside, the middle schooler told him, 'Bye, have a good day.' The video was shared in a chat group with students from nearby Eagle Ridge Middle School. It was a parent within that community who found out about the footage and tracked down the victim's family to tearfully let his parents know what happened. 'Every time I saw that, my heart's broken every time,' Ashley told the news station in the emotional sit down. 'As a mother, to see my son insulted by other older kids, my son's only 5 years old. I just don't know why those kids are so cruel to say that to my son.' Shawn sat beside her, telling NBC News4 that one of the taunts involved his son being called 'King Kong.' Related: Racist Attacks Against Asians Continue to Rise as the Coronavirus Threat Grows 'Should I keep lying and say, 'Yes. They're calling you King Kong because you're strong,'' the father said, as his voice started to break, 'Or should I try to explain to him what does that word and why they're saying that to you? It's hard.' Ashley added that it was equally disturbing to see no one step up for her son, instead choosing to laugh at his cries for help. 'Nobody came to step out and to say, 'Stop.' Nobody think this is not right. They just laughing. Yeah, nobody stood up.' Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases. Shawn and Ashley moved to Loudoun County from China, picking the area for the neighborhood and schools. 'We thought that this would be a great place, however though, it ended up like this,' he said. The Loudoun County Sheriff's Office and Loudoun County Public Schools did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for comment. 'The school division does not condone the behavior and is quite disappointed. Even though this child,' spokesman Dan Adams told News4, referring to the 5-year-old, 'is not an LCPS student, we have offered this student counseling.' Read the original article on People
Daily Mail
28-04-2025
- Daily Mail
Asian boy, 5, pleads 'don't hurt me!' as middle school bully films himself hurling racial slurs in vile video clip
A middle school student is seen taunting a five-year-old Asian boy with ethnic slurs in a disturbing video. The footage from April 5 in Loudoun County, Virginia, shows the kindergartner being racially abused as he frantically tries to flee. As he retreats towards his home, he can be heard pleading: 'No! Don't hurt me! Don't hurt me!' Disturbing: Video has emerged in Virginia showing a middle school student taunting a 5-year-old Asian boy with ethnic slurs and harassment - all while recording himself The distressing scene continues as the 5-year-old runs along the porch, desperately crying out to other children for assistance: 'Don't do it! Save me! Save me!' The recording also picks up the sound of laughter from bystanders, yet no one steps in to help the terrified child. The taunting takes a specifically offensive turn when the middle schooler asks: 'Are you having dumplings for dinner?' This harassment persisted for nearly two minutes, finally ending when the boy's mother opened the door, allowing her son to rush inside to safety. The clip was later shared among students at Eagle Ridge Middle School via a group chat. The victim's family was ultimately made aware of the incident by another parent, who was reportedly in tears when delivering the news. To protect the privacy of the young victim, News4 is not disclosing the family's identity. The little boy's mother expressed her profound distress upon viewing the video: 'Every time I saw that, my heart's broken every time. 'As a mother, to see my son insulted by other older kids, my son's only 5 years old. I just don't know why those kids are so cruel to say that to my son.' The boy's father recounted his son's innocent confusion regarding the racial slur, revealing that he asked if he was being called 'King Kong.' With a breaking voice, the father shared his internal struggle: 'Should I keep lying and say, 'Yes. They're calling you King Kong because you're strong,' or should I try to explain to him what is that word and why they're saying that to you? It's hard.' The parents conveyed their deep concern not only about the student who recorded the harassment but also about the other children who simply watched and laughed. 'Nobody came to step out and to say, "Stop," ' his mother lamented. 'Nobody think this is not right. They just laughing. Yeah, nobody stood up.' Having moved to the United States from China and chosen Loudoun County after careful consideration of its schools, the couple now feel their aspirations for a secure and welcoming community have been destroyed. 'We thought that this would be a great place, however though, it ended up like this,' the father said. The mother added: 'So, what hurts me most is then, where else should I be? That hurts me most, not just the words.' Due to the off-campus location of the harassment, disciplinary action against the responsible student by Eagle Ridge Middle School is unlikely. Nevertheless, school spokesman Dan Adams told News4: 'The school division does not condone the behavior and is quite disappointed. 'Even though this child is not an LCPS student, we have offered this student counseling and potentially restorative practices.' Adams clarified that these restorative practices would be directed towards the middle school student. The Loudoun County Sheriff's Office has confirmed that an investigation is underway but refrained from providing comments due to the involvement of juveniles. The boy's parents are hopeful sharing their experience will serve as a cautionary tale that can spur change. 'Let other families know and never say the bad words to the kids, never say racist words to other kids,' his mother urged. 'It's not right.' His father further emphasized the broader implications: 'I think children means the future,' he stated. 'If children are sinking down, then the future of this country is sinking down.'
Hindustan Times
28-04-2025
- Hindustan Times
‘Don't hurt me!': Chinese-American boy, 5, pleads as middle-schoolers in US bully him, mom says ‘nobody stood up'
A heartbreaking video shows a five-year-old Chinese-American boy clutching his blanket and sobbing while being terrorised by a middle-schooler. As the young tormentor meted out ethnic slurs at the child, his friends laughed. 'No!' the child cried while running from the older boys outside his home in Loudoun County, Virginia, grabbing a blue blanket, NBC-TV News reported. 'Don't hurt me, don't hurt me! Don't do it. Save me!' the boy pleaded. The middle-schooler told the child, while cornering him on his front porch on April 5, 'Are you having dumplings for dinner?' The bully taunted the child with other cruel remarks, some of which the outlet censored. The victim's parents were devastated by the incident involving students from Eagle Ridge Middle School. However, it has prompted hardly any action from school officials. The school said while they are 'quite disappointed,' the attack happened off school grounds. 'Every time I saw that, my heart's broken — every time,' the boy's mother told NBC of the footage. 'As a mother, to see my son insulted by other, older kids my son's only 5 years old. I just don't know why those kids are so cruel to say that to my son.' 'Nobody came to step out and to say, 'Stop,' ' she said. 'Nobody thinks this is not right. They [were] just laughing. Yeah, nobody stood up.' The abusive youngster shared the clip online. Upon seeing it, an Eagle Ridge parent rushed to the victim's house in tears, and showed it to the parents. The victim's father said the child was afraid of the boys but did not understand many of the slurs they used to abuse him. At times, the boy was called 'King Kong.' 'Should I keep lying and say, 'Yes, they're calling you King Kong because you're strong,' ' the father said. 'Or should I try to explain to him what does that word [mean] and why they're saying that to you? It's hard.' The child's family migrated from China and bought a house in the US after working hard. They chose the Loudoun County area for its friendly neighbourhoods and upscale schools, the parents of the victim said. 'We thought that this would be a great place,' the father said. 'However, though, it ended up like this. So what hurts me most is, then, where else should I be? That hurts me most, not just the words.' The Loudoun County Sheriff's Office told NBC that the incident has been reported to the department. Dan Adams, a spokesman for the school district, said it has offered the victim counseling 'and potentially restorative practices' if his family wanted.
