The mother of a 5-year-old boy subjected to racial slurs in a now-viral video is asking the Loudoun County school board to take stronger action.
She says the video was made by a Loudoun County Public Schools (LCPS) sixth grade boy off school grounds and shared with others.
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WATCH HEREThe 5-year-old's mother was joined by others from the Asian-American community who are also calling for a more direct response.
Even though she stepped forward at a public meeting, the little boy’s mom has asked News4 not to show her face to protect her child.
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SIGN UP Her message to the school board: Do more to address racial harassment.
Others carried signs delivering a similar message. Some of the signs had the words “don’t hurt me” — that’s what the 5-year-old was heard saying in the video that set off a firestorm.
The 5-year-old's parents say their preschooler was recorded on video by a sixth grader. The older boy used racially derogatory slurs while the younger boy called out for help.
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The principal of the middle school attended by the older boy sent out a statement promising the community that even though the video was made off school grounds, the incident is being handled with the “seriousness it deserves.”
Superintendent Aaron Spence sent a strongly worded statement to the entire LCPS community which read, in part, “Let me be clear: hate speech and racial slurs have no place in our schools or in our community. […] 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.”
But some community members are asking for an even stronger response.
“It kind of shows even with all this diversity, we’re one of the most diverse places in the country, that there is still this underlying discrimination and watering us down to cultural stereotypes,” said Fairfax County resident Kevin Xu.
Irene Chen is an attorney representing the 5-year-old’s family.
“Make this a teachable moment for the schools and show that they are really serious about this type of racial bullying,” Chen said.
News4 has received emails from people who say they know the sixth grader’s family. They say there is a longer video that may provide more context around the boys’ interaction. News4 has asked to see that video and also is seeking comment from the sixth grader’s family.
While the 5-year-old’s parents and others want assurances disciplinary action is being taken at the middle school, LCPS policy and privacy laws bar the school district from revealing any action they might take.
CORRECTION (May 7, 2025, 9:48 a.m.): An earlier version of this story stated Kevin Xu lives in Loudoun County. He lives in Fairfax County.
