Asian Student Faced Racial Slurs Outside Longfellow Middle School

McLean VA

26 March, 2021

3:38 PM

Description

MCLEAN, VA — Fairfax County Police are investigating a report of a student being spit on and called anti-Asian slurs outside Longfellow Middle School. Police took a report from the juvenile victim on March 23 for an incident that happened the day before. On March 22 around 6:20 p.m., the juvenile reported he was using a recreational field outside the school when several juveniles approached. The juvenile said the group made derogatory remarks about his race and natural origin and spat near him. The juvenile was not hurt or assaulted. "The School Resource Officer assigned to Longfellow Middle School has been investigating this event and working collaboratively with our partners in FCPS to ensure that all students are treated fairly and with respect," reads the police statement. The juvenile victim is a Fairfax County Public Schools student but does not attend the middle school, according to Tysons Reporter. The other juveniles are not Longfellow students, but it is unclear if they attend FCPS. The principals of Longfellow Middle School and McLean High School sent out a letter Wednesday to families about the incident: Dear Longfellow/McLean Community,We would like to make you aware of an incident that was reported to the Fairfax County Police Department. The incident occurred on the campus of Longfellow Middle School after school hours. It was reported that a FCPS student was on campus and approached by 4 individuals who allegedly spit at the victim and used anti-Asian racial slurs. If you have any information about this incident we ask that you please contact your school principal and/or the Fairfax County Police Department.We stand with our Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) students, staff and community and unequivocally denounce racism and discrimination of all kinds and to condemn all acts of hate. We are committed to ensuring safe spaces for all of our students and interrupting any experience that would cause pain and trauma as a result of racialized (or other identity based) violence.If you are a victim of harassment of any kind, please report it to the school principal (as outlined above) or inform the police as soon as you are able. If you are a student, please also involve your parent(s), caregiver, or a trusted adult.Here are some resources to support family conversations around racism: Speaking Up Against Racism Around the New Coronavirus Countering COVID-19 (Coronavirus) Stigma and Racism: Tips for Parents and Caregivers How to Respond to Coronavirus Racism Bullying Prevention and Intervention Sincerely,Jim PatrickPrincipalLongfellow Middle School AndEllen ReillyPrincipalMcLean High School There has been a notable rise in anti-Asian incidents since the COVID-19 pandemic came to the U.S. According to the nonprofit Stop AAPI Hate's latest report, 3,795 incidents were tracked from March 19, 2020 to February 28, 2021. Fairfax County's School Board and Board of Supervisors each adopted resolutions in support of the Asian American and Pacific Islander community in the aftermath of the Atlanta area shootings that killed eight, including six Asian American women. "We know that members of our FCPS community are experiencing increased fear and anxiety; we see you, we are in this together," the school board statement said in part. "We will continue to work within this community to address misinformation and xenophobic language that leads to aggression, harassment, and exclusion of our students, families, and colleagues from Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities."