‘WE SINCERELY APOLOGIZE’

Sixth-Grade Girl Recants Claim That White Classmates Forcibly Cut Her Dreadlocks at Immanuel Christian School

Amari Allen’s family issued a statement asking the private school and local community for forgiveness.

The 12-year-old girl who last week made national news claiming that three of her white classmates at a private Christian school attacked her and cut off her dreadlocks has now recanted the allegations.

“To those young boys and their parents, we sincerely apologize for the pain and anxiety these allegations have caused. To the administrators and families of Immanuel Christian School, we are sorry for the damage this incident has done to trust within the school family and the undue scorn it has brought to the school,” Amari Allen’s family said in a statement on Monday. “To the broader community, who rallied in such passionate support for our daughter, we apologize for betraying your trust. We understand there will be consequences and we’re prepared to take responsibility for them. We know that it will take time to heal, and we hope and pray that the boys, their families, the school and the broader community will be able to forgive us in time.”

The private Christian school—which is located in Springfield, Virginia, and boasts Second Lady Karen Pence as among its faculty—also issued a statement lamenting the ordeal: “While we are relieved to hear the truth and bring the events of the past few days to a close, we also feel tremendous pain for the victims and the hurt on both sides of this conflict. We recognize that we now enter what will be a long season of healing. This ordeal has revealed that we as a school family are not immune from the effects of deep racial wounds in our society. We view this incident as an opportunity to be part of a learning and healing process, and we will continue to support the students and families involved.We will also continue teaching what we’ve taught for more than 40 years: that the love of God is for all people, and as His children we should demonstrate that love equally to all people regardless of their background, what they believe, or how they behave.”