RICHMOND, Va. — The U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) is investigating the Hanover County School District for its handling of incidents of racial bullying against an elementary school student.
Hanover parent Nyseria Baylor-Ali received a letter on April 14 from the DOE’s Office for Civil Rights stating it received her complaint, which alleged that Hanover County Schools discriminated against her son, Jamal, on the basis of race by failing to respond effectively to incidents of peer racial harassment.
The Office for Civil Rights evaluated the complaint and decided to open it for investigation.
“It finally felt like someone was listening,” Baylor-Ali said. “It’s 2025; we all have to live together. Racism shouldn’t be a thing anymore.”
Jamal is a fourth grader at Cold Harbor Elementary School in Hanover.
“He actually wants to be homeschooled,” Baylor-Ali said about her son. “He really likes school, so wanting to be homeschooled was something new when this stuff started happening.”
WATCH: Feds investigate Hanover Schools handling of racial harassment
In October and November, Baylor-Ali said students called her son racial slurs on two separate occasions, and after the second incident, she said she met with the principal and another administrator who suggested Jamal move to another classroom, which he did.
But Baylor-Ali said the racial bullying continued.
She believes the school system did not do enough to stop the bullying, which is why she filed the complaint.
“There was no end to it, so I felt like that was kinda my last resort,” Baylor-Ali said.
The Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights enforces Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, or national origin in any program receiving federal money from the DOE.
As a recipient of federal financial assistance and a public entity, Hanover County Schools must comply with Title VI.
This investigation will determine whether they violated the law.
“That says a lot in itself that they are investigating it,” Baylor-Ali said.
CBS 6 asked Hanover Schools for a response to the complaint and investigation.
Hanover County Schools spokesperson Chris Whitley said the division has provided a comprehensive response to the Office for Civil Rights and is awaiting a response.
However, they are prohibited by law from sharing details about matters pertaining to specific students.
In the meantime, he said the division is committed to providing all students with a safe, healthy, and nurturing learning environment.
The DOE’s Office for Civil Rights has not made a final determination regarding the merits of this case yet.
CBS 6 is committed to sharing community voices on this important topic. Email your thoughts to the CBS 6 Newsroom.
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