Three Virginia Beach parents have filed a defamation suit against Kellam High School Principal Ryan Schubart for $10 million on June 2, claiming Schubart falsely accused their children as racists. According to the families, the principal and school board member publicly accused students of being guilty before an investigation was conducted.

Families claim that the students were punished in court for public opinion and suspended from school. They now have a stain on their permanent record of bullying based on race, ethnicity or color and harassment/discrimination.

The Plaintiffs Perspective

The defamation suit details the events that took place on March 12th. Three boys from Kellam High, one of whom is the alleged victim and three are plaintiffs, form a group called “close friends” Students met at the usual place before school started. The black alleged victim had asked his friends to bring him fried hen for his birthday. His friends gave him fried chicken, a card for his birthday and candy the next morning. According to the lawsuit, video evidence shows that the students were laughing, hugging and “engaging friendly behavior.”

According to the lawsuit “Teachers, staff, and other adults were in the area, observing the interaction from afar, however, no adult intervened, as it did not seem inappropriate or hostile. the entire encounter lasted 2-3 minutes, before students had to leave for class.”

Apparently, the principal learned of the card and the fried chicken later from a teacher and then notified police. School staff also interviewed the boys. The police found no criminal activity and all witnesses provided statements that “consistently” stated the group was made up of friends from different races and the incident had been a joke.

The lawsuit claims that the principal repeatedly claimed that a teacher was required to intervene in order to help the alleged victims–as the basis for Schubart to suspend the students. The plaintiff’s lawyer presented video proof to the school board that disproved that narrative. The principal eventually admitted this claim was false.

Democrat Political Intervene to Stir the Flames

The day following the incident on March 12th, Principal Schubart sent an alert out to parents decrying the racist event that took place at the school. School board policies require due process, yet the email claimed the matter was being investigated–suggesting the investigation was not yet complete. The email stated: “The students who were involved would be disciplined.”

The plaintiffs claim that although names were not used in the communications the students were immediately suspended from school, so when they did not return to school, it was obvious who the allegations were.

The following is a copy of an email sent by the principal to Kellam parents in March 2025, which was published in the media.

We regret to inform our readers of a situation that is deeply disturbing. One of our students has been subjected to racist harassment by a group of students. The matter is under investigation and all students involved will face the harshest punishment. . . .

Melinda Rogers, a Democrat Virginia Beach Board of Education Member who has a student at the school, criticized the students in social media on the same day as the email.

I am disgusted and heartbroken by the events that took place at Kellam high school today. . . My child’s school, and my community as a whole, are no longer safe because of the actions of students at Kellam. . . Racism has no place in our community, now or ever. The perpetrators, who were children at the time, must be made aware that such egregious actions will not be tolerated by Virginia Beach High School or Kellam.

Rogers, who posts partisan material on her Facebook page regularly, went on media tour to condemn the actions of the alleged perpetrators. Rogers was not privy to the documents because school board rules prevent board members from accessing them. They may be asked to adjudicate on this matter.

Just days later, several Virginia Democrat delegates also joined the persecutors. Del. Michael Feggans said: “I commend Kellam High school teacher who intervened instantly to protect the student against further harm.”

Feggans added, “The actions of the students who acted in a fear-inducing manner against a fellow student on school grounds was disgusting and reprehensible.” In a statement, he and Democrat Delegates Alex Askew, Kelly Convirs, and Kelly Convirs Fowler said that the incident was “unacceptable” and “reaffirmed [their] commitment to fostering respect, diversity, and inclusivity in all Virginia Beach Schools.”

The court filing states that Schubart retracted the false statement made by Schubart during the school board hearing that a teacher intervened, which was the basis for the initial accusations.

Democrats’ claims encouraged NAACP activists to appear at school board meetings decrying racism in Virginia Beach schools, suggesting a politically motivated attack on the Republican-controlled school board. Tim Anderson, the plaintiff’s lawyer, told Restoration News that the so-called “victim” did not express any concern and thought the card he received from his friends was humorous.

Anderson tells Restoration News

Some of my clients have been stalked. Some of their belongings have been damaged. Adults have called them names, which is equivalent to treating them as nazi-racists. Public officials’ public condemnations of children were grossly irresponsible, and they caused great harm. All the while, every adult involved knowingly omitted truths that are contained in [the lawsuit] section on willful omissions. Adults wanted to create a narrative, and were happy to destroy the lives of innocent children.

Plaintiffs have sued principal Ryan Schubart, alleging that his actions have caused irreparable damage. Kellam High School Parent Newsletter announced that the school would be getting a brand new principal in 2019.