BETHESDA, Md. - Ski and Jean Johnson say they are outraged by the response they received from their day care center after they raised concerns about the treatment of their 4-year-old daughter, Skylar.

"It was like somebody had taken a knife and just stabbed me in the back," Jean said, referring to what Skylar recent told her about allegedly being denied an invitation to a classmate's birthday party.

According to Jean Johnson, her daughter told her she had been left out of the celebration, "'Because I am black. Only white kids can come to his party.'"

"Where does a 4-year-old learn something like that?" asked Donald Johnson. "Where does a 4-year-old learn to say something like that?"

The Johnsons say it's just one in a series of disturbing incidents at Skylar's Bethesda day care center, all related to race. There are two other African-American children in her class at Edgemoor Children's Center, the teacher is black, too. But the Johnsons say Skylar comes home wanting to know how to "make white", and seems to be rejecting all things black.

"Now she will not play with it," Jean said, holding up a black doll. "She only wants to play with Barbie, Sleeping Beauty -- a white doll."

The Johnsons say they've complained to school officials, but nothing has been done. They were given a book and tape about diversity, but they say they're not the problem.

"It shouldn't be going on now --and I want it to stop," Jean said. "I want it to stop."

Late Monday afternoon, Wonders Child Care, which runs the Edgemoor program, issued a statement denying any racism. It said, "We are committed to equity and inclusion, and when exclusionary, hurtful words or behavior occur, they are addressed immediately."

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