Nysmith School for the Gifted : Virginia Lawsuit Alleges Top Private School Expelled Jewish Students After Parents Reported Antisemitism
A prominent private school in Herndon, Virginia, is facing serious allegations after a lawsuit claimed it expelled three Jewish siblings in retaliation for their parents speaking out about repeated antisemitic incidents on campus.
The suit, filed this week against the Nysmith School for the Gifted, alleges that school officials ignored disturbing harassment, canceled a Holocaust remembrance event, and further escalated tensions after parents voiced their concerns. The parents say their 11-year-old daughter endured ongoing verbal abuse from classmates, including being called a “baby killer” and hearing statements that Jews “deserve to die because of what is happening in Gaza.”
Instead of addressing the bullying, school leadership reportedly told the family that their daughter needed to “toughen up.” Shortly after, all three of the family’s children were expelled mid-semester.
According to the complaint, the school displayed a pattern of indifference toward antisemitism. The lawsuit claims the headmaster hung a Palestinian flag in the gym following initial complaints from the family—an act the plaintiffs say intensified hostility toward their daughter. In another reported incident, a sixth-grade class project meant to depict a historical leader allegedly featured Adolf Hitler’s face, which was then included in a schoolwide email.
The suit also highlights the cancellation of the school’s annual Holocaust memorial program. Nysmith administrators cited fears the event might “inflame emotions” due to the ongoing Israel-Gaza conflict.
Nysmith, known nationally for its elite academics and consistently high test scores, is highly regarded by organizations like Johns Hopkins University’s Center for Talented Youth. However, the family’s legal complaint accuses the school of showing “deliberate indifference to, and incitement of, significant and pervasive discrimination,” and is seeking mandated antidiscrimination training for its staff and leadership.
The case comes amid a broader surge of antisemitic incidents reported at schools and universities across the U.S. since the Hamas attacks on Israel on October 7, 2023. Numerous institutions are under federal scrutiny for failing to protect Jewish students.
The Nysmith School has not issued a public statement and did not respond to media requests for comment.
