The school board candidates who laughed at Autistic student

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7News On Your Side was the first to report on a YouTube video showing Republican Fairfax County School Board candidates Harry Jackson and Stephanie Lundquist Arora laughing at an autistic student who was singing the national anthem at a Fairfax County School Board meeting.

“I’m trying to process what we just experienced,” Jackson said as he laughed alongside Lundquist Arora and Jeff Hoffman. Hoffman has said he intends to run for Fairfax County School Board.

“You and Stephanie Lundquist Arora were laughing at a student. Do you think that's acceptable behavior?” 7News Reporter Nick Minock asked Jackson on Tuesday--- when 7News first reported on this story.

“Well, at the time, and that was a mistake and mistakes happen,” answered Jackson. “No that’s not. We didn’t realize at the time when we played the video of that student, that we thought that the school board to replay the national anthem. We didn’t know it was a student. We didn’t know what the student’s background was. No offense was intended.”

Do you regret it because of what you did? Or do you regret it because you got caught doing that? Laughing at a student?” asked Minock.

“Well, well, we have to hold our public officials accountable,” said Jackson. “Those that run for office, as well. So I mean, it was a mistake. Yes. I do. We do regret it.”

“Would you apologize to that student and his family? Would you apologize to him?” Minock asked Jackson.

“No, absolutely,” Jackson replied. “That's what leaders should be doing. When they make a mistake. I didn't realize it. I didn't realize it was a student. I thought it was an adult. I didn't realize. I didn’t realize what other issues or ailments affected the student.”

“I don't think they should be on a school board at all. This is disqualifying for any public office,” said Jennifer Litton Tidd. “Let that party put forth candidates that don't laugh at disabled people. Actually, children in general. Let's have a conversation on policy. Let's debate real issues.”

Fairfax County resident Litton Tidd has two autistic children.

7News asked Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin will he call on his fellow Republicans to withdraw from the school board race and does he approve of the candidates laughing at an autistic student.

“This was completely inappropriate, and the governor is glad that the candidates have apologized for their egregious error,” a Youngkin spokesperson told 7News.

Like Youngkin, Fairfax County GOP Chairman Steve Knotts did not call on Jackson and Lundquist Arora to withdraw from the race after they were caught on camera laughing at an autistic student.

"The 'Shadow Board' on YouTube is not run by, nor affiliated with, the Fairfax GOP,” Knotts told 7News in a statement.

But 7News obtained an email from Virginia’s 11th Congressional District Republican Party which promoted Jackson’s Shadow Board YouTube channel two weeks after Jackson and Lundquist Arora laughed at the autistic student when he was singing the national anthem.

As of 5 p.m. on Thursday, Jackson and Lundquist Arora were still featured on the Fairfax County GOP website.

7News also asked the Chairman of the Virginia Republican Party if he will call on the candidates to exit the race.

“The behavior from these two candidates was inappropriate and we are glad they have recognized their wrongdoings and apologized for their actions,” the Republican Party of Virginia told 7News in a statement. “We know that Gov. Youngkin has committed to serving special needs individuals across the Commonwealth and has specifically engaged with the special needs community in Fairfax County.”

On Wednesday, 7News also reached out to the Republican National Committee for comment.

The RNC has not yet answered 7News’s questions.

Litton Tidd does not feel Jackson’s and Lundquist Arora’s apologies are sincere.

“A sincere apology isn't prefaced by a full minute of excuses,” she said.

Two candidates for the Fairfax County School Board have dropped out of the race after they were captured on video laughing at a student with autism who sang the national anthem at a meeting.

The Washington Post reports that Stephanie Lundquist-Arora and Harry Jackson both left the race after their reaction to the student drew strong disapproval from parents online.

Jackson told ABC 7News that he was no longer a candidate. Lundquist-Arora wrote in a post on the Independent Women’s Network website that she was withdrawing because her laughter at the student had drawn too much harassment, which threatened her ability to perform “my most important job — being a mother.”

Lundquist-Arora and Jackson told the Post in statements that they were sorry for laughing at the student, a Washington, D.C.-area singer and songwriter.

Jackson said he was “sorry to the singer and his family for my response.”

That's a very sad story. It almost made me cry.