Virginia School Expels Jewish Students After Complaints of Severe Antisemitic Harassment, Lawsuit Claims
A couple in Virginia has filed a civil rights complaint after their three children were expelled from the Nysmith School for the Gifted, a private institution in Herndon, alleging the school retaliated against them for raising concerns about antisemitic bullying. The complaint, submitted to the Virginia Attorney General’s Office of Civil Rights by the Louis D. Brandeis Center, accuses the school and Headmaster Kenneth R. Nysmith of failing to address escalating harassment targeting the family’s 11-year-old daughter.
Parents Brian Vazquez and Ashok Roy said the abuse began after the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel that killed over 1,200 people. According to the filing, classmates called Jewish students “baby-killers,” said they “deserve to die,” and placed pro-Palestinian stickers on school property. Students allegedly told the couple’s daughter that “everyone at the school is against Jews and Israel.”
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Despite initially promising to intervene, Nysmith allegedly took no steps to protect the student. The complaint says he worsened the situation by displaying a Palestinian flag in the school gym, after which the harassment intensified. “Mr. Nysmith promised to take action but did nothing,” the complaint states.
Two days after a meeting where the parents again sought help, the family received an email expelling all three children. The school cited a “profound lack of trust” from the parents.
The lawsuit also references a classroom project that portrayed Adolf Hitler as a “strong historical leader,” which was shared with the school community, further distressing the family.
