NoVa: 6th- Grade Boys Pin Down Classmate, Cut Her Dreadlocks Calling Them 'Ugly' & 'Nappy'

[appalachiablue]

Sixth-grade boys pin down classmate, cut her dreadlocks calling them 'ugly' and 'nappy' at Virginia private school. A 12-year-old girl tells WUSA9 she was assaulted on the playground of Immanuel Christian School because of her natural hair. WUSA9. Updated: 9:57 PM EDT September 26, 2019

SPRINGFIELD, Va. — Three sixth-grade boys are accused of pinning down a fellow classmate -- a 12-year-old girl -- on the playground and cutting her dreadlocks because they are "nappy" and "ugly." Amari Allen said she has never been more traumatized in her life until Monday when she said a group of white male classmates attacked her on the playground at Immanuel Christian School, a private K-12 school, in Fairfax, Virginia.

Amari tells WUSA9 that one boy covered her mouth and the second boy put her hands behind her back, while the third boy pulled out scissors and cut her medium-length dread locks while calling her names. Allen's family pays nearly $12,000 a year for Amari to attend the private school where Vice President Mike Pence's wife, Karen Pence, teaches.

The school outlines a strict no-bullying policy in their parent-student handbook, that, in part, states:

"ICS holds to four fundamental guidelines for social interaction among students. All ICS students are encouraged and expected to:
1.Never leave anyone out by deliberately excluding them from the group.
2.Never harm others intentionally with words or actions.
3.Never tolerate bullying by ignoring it or allowing it to continue.
4.Always report bullying to the classroom teacher.

Accordingly, we define bullying as: The deliberate use of power to dominate, intimidate and harm another person physically and/or emotionally over an extended period of time with no significant provocation or justification."

"They kept laughing and calling me names," Amari said, as tears poured down her face. "They called me 'ugly,' said, 'I shouldn't have been born.' They called me 'an attention-seeker.'" The ordeal happened during recess on a sliding board. On Thursday, the entire playground was surrounded by caution tape as Allen's family spoke to the administration...

MORE, https://www.wusa9.com/article/news/local/virginia/boyspindowngirlcutherdreadlocks/65-73c8a4a3-b8fc-4b87-8c64-ebb194c99872



Amari Allen's family explains what happened.

[sandiapeach]

1. Girl was not just bullied!

We shall see if this private christian school will actually enforce their strict anti-bulling rules this time.
These white boys physically attack her. They at least should be expelled.

[appalachiablue]

4. #3

[CatMor]

2. Why wasn't there any supervision out there ...

just a horrible incident. I hope the boys are kicked out of that school.

[appalachiablue]

3. Traumatic attack, why no staff present, expel the 'Christian' boys.

[Yonnie3]

5. This was an assault.

Last edited Fri Sep 27, 2019, 12:33 AM - Edit history (1)

More correctly under Virginia law a Battery if I recall properly. You get arrested for such things. You've got to see a judge.

Why are they confounding this with bullying?

Edit to add: Yes those boys were bullying, but my point is that this is much more serious and needs to be dealt with as a criminal matter.

If it were up to me they would receive a suspended sentence, probation, community service. The school should give week or so suspension and immediate expulsion it anything more happens.

Bullying is repeated events, that standard is not needed for significant action in this case.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

6. About that Immanuel Christian School: It's where Karen Pence teaches.

Karen Pence
....

Second lady of the United States
....

2019 return to teaching

In January 2019, it was reported that Pence was returning as the arts teacher for Immanuel Christian School, a private Christian school in Springfield, Virginia, southwest of Washington, D.C. Pence, who had previously been the arts teacher during her husband's tenure as a U.S. Representative, said in a statement that she was "excited to be back in the classroom and doing what I love to do," and that she had "missed teaching art."

The school had previously been criticized and accused of homophobia for not admitting LGBT students, posting a policy wherein it is permitted to turn away students who engage in, uphold, or accept "sexual immorality, homosexual activity, or bisexual activity", with the policy also applying to parents and employees. Pence was harshly criticized in the media and by LGBT advocates and advocacy organizations in the days following the announcement. Vice President Pence defended his wife's profession and decision, accusing her critics of attacking religious education. He said that he and his wife were "used to the criticism", but that he was angered over the criticism of his wife, opining that "to see major news organizations attacking Christian education is deeply offensive to us", and that it "should stop".

[appalachiablue]

7. Yes, I think this school also prohibits acceptance of LGBTQ among

staff and students, and won't play sports games with schools where this is allowed. Bigotry full tilt.

> "It was not Amari's first encounter with the same three classmates. She said she's been bullied by the same boys for some time. They take her school lunches and call her names, Amari alleges."

[mahatmakanejeeves]

8. Oh, sorry. I see now that info was included in the OP.

My computer has been locked up all day installing a Windows update, and I'm using a sort-of public one.

My bad.

[markbark]

9. The plot thickens....

Errrr.... now it looks as if the young lady in question made the whole thing up

Girl who accused boys of pinning, cutting her hair, said she made the story up

Yeah, I know.... I shared it far and wide as well

[appalachiablue]

10. Very strange story. I just posted here The Guardian's article today as well.