Mom Records Daughter Crying Due to Racial Bullying at School (Exclusive)

When Christa Thao picked up her daughter, Adi, from dance practice, she was excited to ask about her day.

But instead of Adi’s usual bubbly self, the elementary schooler sat on the couch quietly until she mustered up the courage to ask a question that stopped Thao in her tracks: “Mom… why are people mean to Asians?”

“At first, I was confused. I asked her what she meant,” Thao tells PEOPLE exclusively. “That’s when she began to cry and told me that a group of girls she considered her friends had been making fun of her eyes – pulling their eyes back to mock Asian eyes.”

In a video that garnered 3.5 million views, Adi tearfully explained that the bullying was recurring and often took place during gym, music and even the classroom.

The students in question would allegedly make racist remarks by calling Adi and another Asian student “sisters” and pretending to mistake other Asian girls for her just because of their facial features.

“Adi loves her eyes. She loves being Hmong. She is proud of who she is. What hurt her was not her identity… it was being made fun of for it,” Thao emphasizes. “Through tears, she told me, ‘Mom, it hurt me.’ ”

But even when Adi asked the girls to stop, the bullying continued. “This was not about ignorance or kids not knowing better,” Thao says. “They knew it was racist.”

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Realizing the depth of her daughter’s pain, Thao chose to record Adi’s reaction – not to expose her, but to document the moment and to show her school the true impact of bullying.

“I could have sent an email or written a message, but I didn’t believe words alone would show the depth of the hurt she was carrying,” Thao explains. “That video captured what a child in pain looks like when she finally feels safe enough to speak.”

That same night, around 8 p.m., Thao emailed the principal, associate principals, school counselors and superintendent.

The principal responded promptly, reaffirming the school’s zero-tolerance policy on bullying, and the following morning, an associate principal began a thorough investigation.

“The school first met with Adi to ensure she felt heard, supported and protected. Then they spoke with the students involved and notified their parents,” Thao shares. “Measures were put in place to monitor the situation and ensure the behavior does not continue.”

At home, Thao and her husband had an open and honest conversation with Adi about bullying and how to recognize real friends.

“As an Asian-American mother, this experience reinforced something I already knew but never wanted my child to learn this way: intent does not erase impact,” she says. “Even when people try to minimize these actions, the hurt remains…especially for a child still learning who she is and where she belongs.”

The couple also reassured their daughter that she could always rely on them to discuss anything that was weighing on her mind.

“We reminded her that our Asian eyes are beautiful, that hers are perfect, and that no one should ever make her feel ashamed of who she is,” Thao shares. “We told her how strong she is, how talented she is, and how deeply loved she is by her family.”

While grateful for the school’s prompt response, Thao says the situation underscores the importance of addressing “identity-based bullying” head-on.

“I shared her story because children experience this kind of harm quietly every day, often without the words or support to speak up,” she tells PEOPLE. “If my daughter’s story helps even one child feel seen, or one adult take action sooner, then her voice mattered.”