SPRINGFIELD, Va. -- Police are investigating a 12-year-old girl's allegation that her classmates grabbed her and cut her dreadlocks on the playground of a northern Virginia private school.

News outlets report the girl says three of her sixth-grade classmates at Immanuel Christian School in Springfield called her hair "ugly" while they assaulted her at recess earlier this week.

The girl is African American. She says her attackers are white, and that they've been bullying her.

The school issued a statement Thursday saying it is disturbed by the allegations and has asked police to investigate.

Police confirmed Thursday they are investigating.