‘It makes me mad’: Hanover County mother claims son facing racist bullying at school

HANOVER COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) -- A Hanover County mother is speaking out after her ten-year-old son has faced multiple incidents of racism and discrimination at Cold Harbor Elementary School.

Nyseria Baylor-Ali, whose fourth-grade son Jamal Baylor-Ali is the victim of ongoing bullying, says the racial slurs and taunts started in October and have continued despite repeated attempts to address the issue with school officials.

According to Baylor-Ali, her son has been subjected to racial slurs, including the N-word, multiple times by classmates. She says Jamal has also been harassed in other ways, including being excluded and targeted because of his race. This ongoing bullying has taken a significant toll on the young boy, leaving him fearful of attending school.

“He’s been dealing with this for months now," said Baylor-Ali. "He used to love going to school, but now he’s scared. I feel like after the first incident, there shouldn't have been four more. Like, four more is ridiculous. One is ridiculous."

The mother of three says she has reached out to school officials repeatedly to address the issue, but she believes little has been done to protect her son. Baylor-Ali was told that Jamal would be moved to a different classroom to separate him from the children who were harassing him. However, despite this change, the bullying has continued, and Baylor-Ali says Jamal is still terrified to attend school each day.

8News reached out to Hanover County Public Schools about this. They said student privacy laws prevent them from talking about how specifically they've disciplined students, but sent the email that was sent to all fourth-grade families after the latest racist incident:

Hateful and racist terms have been used by some students in direct opposition to what we stand for as a school and, more broadly, across Hanover County Public Schools. We stand for unity, respect, and inclusion. The hurtful and offensive language is reprehensible, and we need your help to make it stop.

I can assure you that we take these matters with the utmost seriousness. Mrs. Wilkerson and I have addressed this issue directly with our students to help them understand the hurtful nature of these words, how they are not appropriate in any situation, and to emphasize the importance of kindness and respect. Among other things, we have also held additional sessions provided by our school counselors focused on respect and kindness across all of our classrooms. Additionally, please know that we will continue to hold students accountable to the Code of Student Conduct and this was shared with students as part of our message to them. 

As you know, the traits of our House System are respect, responsibility, trustworthiness, courage, and kindness. We focused on this in our conversations with our fourth grade classes, highlighting the importance of these character traits in our interactions with fellow students and beyond. 

Parents and guardians, you are an important partner in these efforts. We must work together to ensure that our students are not using this language. We ask that you assist us by having a conversation with your student about the harmful impact that such language can have on others. It is important to note that students have shared they have been exposed to these terms through video games, social media, and other entertainment sources. Helping students understand the weight of these words can foster a more respectful environment for all. Allison Hunt Mullens, Principal of Cold Harbor Elementary School

However, Baylor-Ali feels the response from the district has been inadequate. She says that despite attending meetings with teachers and administrators—including a meeting with Hanover County Public Schools Superintendent Lisa Pennycuff—there has been no lasting change, and her son’s experience has not improved.

"It's like what do you do, what can I do?," Baylor-Ali said. "I can talk to him all I want, and I can say 'hey, make sure you defend yourself,' but he has to walk out of here every day to go to school, I can't go with him. I'm limited with how I can protect him and as a mom it kind of makes me mad."

Although Jamal was moved to a new class to separate him from the students who were harassing him, Baylor-Ali insists that the bullying hasn’t stopped. In fact, she says Jamal’s fear of returning to school has only worsened.

Baylor-Ali is now demanding stronger measures to prevent future incidents of racism and bullying at Cold Harbor Elementary. She says the school system must be more proactive in addressing these issues and must ensure that students like her son are protected from harassment based on their race. In her opinion, the school’s response so far has been inadequate, and she has lost confidence in the district's ability to effectively handle the situation.

As the struggle continues, Baylor-Ali remains determined to see change. She plans to keep speaking out and working with other families to raise awareness about the issue of racial bullying in schools. For now, however, she just wants her son to be able to walk into school without fear.