Virginia parents alarmed by segregation game played by fourth graders

ALEXANDRIA, Va. - Lyles Crouch Traditional Academy in Alexandria is facing significant backlash after reports surfaced that students played a segregation game during social studies. 

The incident has sparked outrage among parents and the community.

The school’s principal, Laura Burkart, informed parents about the incident through a letter, describing the event as inappropriate but stopped short of issuing an apology.

A parent who spoke off-camera with FOX 5 shared that her African American daughter was a victim of this so-called segregation game. 

She reported that the involved students did apologize, but Principal Burkart did not.

The incident, involving fourth-grade students, took place on the playground during after-school hours. 

According to the victim’s mother, her daughter was told by several white students that she couldn’t play with them or enter an imaginary schoolhouse on the playground because she was Black. This was reportedly part of a segregation game they were playing.

The mother arranged a meeting with Principal Burkart, who reportedly became emotional and demanded that the students involved apologize to the victim. However, the mother feels that the handling of the incident further alienated her daughter. 

Several minority children were allegedly excluded from playing, based on this segregation game.

Principal Burkart told FOX 5 that she cannot discuss specific student disciplinary actions.