Virginia Mom Says Half-Asian Boy Segregated, Prevented to Play With White Kids

An after-school game at Lyles Crouch Traditional Academy in Alexandria took a troubling turn last Tuesday.

Mixed- Race Children Segregated From White Students

Kathryn Kelley, a concerned mother, reported that a group of white students allegedly told her fifth-grade son, who is half-Asian, that he couldn't sit with them.

Kathryn Kelley elucidated that they told mixed-race children they had to sit at a separate table away from the white children, and African American and Black kids had to sit even further away. They said the children were segregated and couldn't play with the white kids.

Kelley also mentioned that some students allegedly taunted others based on their race and socioeconomic status.

"It was very difficult and confusing for him. He was trying to understand the situation while also standing up for his friends and attempting to intervene, but he didn't know what to do," Kelley said.

A letter was obtained from the school principal sent to parents last Friday, which acknowledged an "inappropriate game" that made some students uncomfortable, describing it as part of a "role play of a social studies lesson."

The letter stated, "Students often want to discuss troubling topics from class in various ways, some of which may be offensive. This is a challenge in educating our students and one we must be acutely aware of when presenting difficult topics."

Virginia's Mom Thinks Additional Steps Should Have Been Taken

Kelley believes more steps should have been taken. "When children are learning about things like segregation and the history of white supremacy in the U.S., they need to understand the seriousness of these topics-it's not a game," she said.

The principal's letter mentioned plans to work with the school team to incorporate lessons on thinking before speaking and acting, emphasizing the collective responsibility to ensure all students feel valued and respected.

In a letter to families, the school's principal stated her intention to work with her team to integrate lessons on thinking before speaking and acting into the curriculum. She emphasized the collective responsibility of the school community to ensure all students feel valued and respected.

"We might consider starting with what children already know," suggested Greg Carr, an Afro-American studies professor at Howard University.

Inclusion Lesson on Segregation and Guest Speakers Could be Advantageous

Carr mentioned that inclusion lessons can be simple, like asking children how they feel when they see TV characters who resemble them. He also noted that guest speakers could be beneficial.

"A lesson on segregation could include elders who experienced that era," Carr said. "They can explain the current implications by sharing how much it hurt to be segregated."

It remains unclear if any students involved in the game faced disciplinary action. The principal mentioned in her letter to parents that she could not disclose that information.