Two days after the family brought their concerns about bullying to the principal, the parents received a message informing them that all three siblings were being expelled.
By Shula Rosen
A private school in Northern Virginia has agreed to compensate a Jewish family after a dispute over the expulsion of their three children, resolving a case that drew scrutiny from state authorities.
The Nysmith School for the Gifted will pay about $100,000 under a settlement reached with the Virginia Attorney General’s Office, following allegations that the children were removed shortly after reporting antisemitic bullying.
The matter began last July, months after the October 7 attacks, when the family informed school administrators that classmates had repeatedly targeted their daughter.
According to the complaint filed with the state, other students taunted her by calling her “Israeli,” used the phrase “baby killers” when referring to Jews, and mocked the death of her aunt by claiming they were glad she died on October 7.
The girl’s aunt had, in fact, passed away years earlier. The filing also referenced incidents at the school in which students portrayed Hitler as a “strong leader.”
Two days after the family brought their concerns about bullying to the principal, the parents received a message informing them that all three siblings were being expelled.
The family then filed a complaint with the attorney general’s office, prompting an investigation that led to the settlement agreement.
As part of the terms, the school will issue a public statement rejecting violence or harassment based on religion or race.
The agreement also requires the creation of a committee tasked with reviewing complaints involving bias and adopting the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition of antisemitism. An external supervisor will be appointed to monitor the committee’s work, and the school must provide annual staff training on identifying and addressing antisemitism.
In addition to the financial payment, the school committed to implementing procedures meant to ensure that similar cases are handled more effectively in the future.
The attorney general’s office said the measures were designed to strengthen protections for students who report discrimination.
The family has not commented publicly on the settlement, while the school has not addressed the details beyond its required commitments.
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