Landon School released a statement Friday condemning the behavior of a group of students from the Bethesda private boys school who are shown in a video circulating online chanting a racist slur while riding the Metro on Thursday night.
“We are deeply concerned by the video showing a group of Landon students’ behavior on the DC Metro. Their conduct and offensive words are unacceptable and antithetical to our school’s values and our Civility Code,” the statement posted to the school’s social media pages says.
“We absolutely do not condone or tolerate the behavior displayed in this video, and we deeply regret the hurt it has caused. We are looking into the matter. As we begin the school year, we look forward to continuing our work to build in our boys the characteristics of respect, honor, and kindness that are so essential in preparing the next generation,” the statement continues.
The video posted Thursday to popular Instagram page @DCHomos shows footage of a large group of students chanting the lyrics to the song Freestyle by Lil Baby. The lyrics include multiple uses of the N-word.
The students also can be heard chanting “F*** Gonzaga,” potentially referencing Gonzaga High School, a private boys high school in Northwest Washington, D.C.
@DCHomos updated the caption of the initial Instagram post to say that a dean at the school had reached out to them about the video.
“They are taking this very seriously and are investigating,” @DCHomos wrote.
A spokesperson for Landon School could not immediately be reached for comment late Friday afternoon.