Hanover County, Va. — A Hanover County mother is demanding stronger action after her 10-year-old son has faced repeated incidents of racism and discrimination at Cold Harbor Elementary School. Nyseria Baylor-Ali’s son, Jamal Baylor-Ali, a fourth-grade student, has been subjected to racial slurs, exclusion, and harassment by his classmates since October. Despite the family’s attempts to address the issue with school officials, the bullying has continued, leaving the young boy fearful of attending school.
Baylor-Ali described the painful toll the bullying has taken on her son. “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. One is ridiculous, but four is beyond that,” she said. Jamal has reportedly been called racial slurs, including the N-word, multiple times, and has been ostracized because of his race.
In an effort to resolve the situation, Baylor-Ali reached out to the school, hoping to see a change. She was told her son would be moved to a different classroom to separate him from the students who had been harassing him. However, despite this change, Jamal’s experiences of bullying have not stopped, and he remains terrified to return to school each day.
“I can talk to him all I want and tell him to defend himself, but he has to walk out of here every day to go to school, and I can’t go with him,” Baylor-Ali explained. “I’m limited in how I can protect him, and as a mom, it kind of makes me mad.”
In response to the latest incidents of bullying, the Hanover County Public Schools sent out a letter to all fourth-grade families. The letter, from Principal Allison Hunt Mullens, condemned the use of hateful and racist language and emphasized the school’s commitment to unity, respect, and inclusion. The district’s message called for parents to have conversations with their children about the harmful impact of such language and expressed the school’s intention to address these issues through additional counseling sessions and lessons on kindness and respect.
However, Baylor-Ali remains dissatisfied with the school’s response. She believes that despite meetings with teachers, administrators, and even the Hanover County Public Schools Superintendent, Lisa Pennycuff, the issue has not been adequately addressed, and her son’s experience has not improved.
“I’ve lost confidence in the district’s ability to handle this properly,” Baylor-Ali stated. “What more can I do? I just want my son to be able to walk into school without fear.”
Baylor-Ali is now calling for stronger, more proactive measures to prevent future incidents of racism and bullying at Cold Harbor Elementary. She is advocating for clear consequences for students involved in bullying and for a more robust system of support to ensure the safety and well-being of all students, particularly those targeted because of their race.
While Baylor-Ali’s primary focus remains on securing a safer environment for her son, she also plans to continue speaking out and collaborating with other families to raise awareness about racial bullying in schools. For now, her greatest hope is that her son will one day be able to attend school without fear or anxiety.
As the situation unfolds, the community and local school district will undoubtedly face increased pressure to address the issue of racism in schools and provide a safer environment for all students.
