A middle school student recorded video of himself using ethnic slurs as he harassed a 5-year-old Asian boy in Loudoun County, Virginia.
The video recorded April 5 begins with a slur directed at the frightened 5-year-old.
The 5-year-old went to the door to his house, pleading, “No! Don’t hurt me! Don’t hurt me!”
He then ran along the porch crying out for other children to help him – “Don’t do it! Save me! Save me!” No one stepped in, and laughter is heard in the background.
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The harassment continued.
“Are you having dumplings for dinner?” the middle schooler asked.
After two minutes, the 5-year-old boy’s mother opened the door, and her son ran inside.
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The video was posted to a chat group set up by some students from nearby Eagle Ridge Middle School. A parent saw it and took it to the boy’s home in tears to show his parents, whose identity News4 is concealing to protect their son.
The little boy’s mother said she cries every time she sees what happened to her preschooler.
“Every time I saw that, my heart’s broken every time,” she said. “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 said his son was confused by the ethnic slur – having never heard it before – and asked whether the middle schoolers called him King Kong.
“Should I keep lying and say, ‘Yes. They’re calling you King Kong because you’re strong,’” he said, his voice starting 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.”
Not only are the parents troubled by the behavior of the boy who made the video, but also by other older children who stood by watching and laughing.
“Nobody came to step out and to say, ‘Stop,’” his mother said. “Nobody think this is not right. They just laughing. Yeah, nobody stood up.”
The couple said they came to the United States from China, working hard and saving to buy a home. They researched heavily and chose Loudoun County and their neighborhood, in part, for the well-respected schools.
Now, the father says, their vision of life there is tarnished.
“We thought that this would be a great place, however though, it ended up like this,” he said. “So, what hurts me most is then, where else should I be? That hurts me most, not just the words.”
Because the recorded harassment didn’t occur at a school, it’s unlikely Eagle Ridge would have a role in disciplining the student who made the video, but spokesman Dan Adams told News4, “The school division does not condone the behavior and is quite disappointed. Even though this child,” he said, referring to the 5-year-old, “is not an LCPS student, we have offered this student counseling and potentially restorative practices.”
The restorative practices would be directed toward the middle schooler.
The Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office confirmed it received a report of the incident, but because juveniles are involved, they cannot comment on the investigation.
The boy’s parents hope sharing the story will raise awareness and provide a warning.
“Let other families know and never say the bad words to the kids, never say racist words to other kids,” the boy’s mother said. “It’s not right.”
“I think children means the future,” his father said. “If children are sinking down, then the future of this country is sinking down.”
