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A drawing of a swastika was found on a desk at Silver Creek Middle School on Saul Road in Kensington this week, prompting a response from the district and outrage in the community.
"I am writing to inform you that a drawing of a swastika was found on a desk in one of the classrooms," the school sent in a message to the community. “This was brought to the attention of the administration yesterday. Once the teacher shared this with security, it was quickly removed.
"Administration followed (Montgomery County School) protocol by contacting the cluster security coordinator, the Montgomery County Police Department (MCPD), and the Office of School Support and Well-Being.”
In response, several elected officials reached out on social media, including Councilmembers Will Jawando and Kate Stewart.
“I am deeply troubled by the swastika found on a desk at Silver Creek MS in Kensington in District 4,” Stewart posted. “My staff and I will be discussing enhancing the curriculum around (anti-Semitism) with (Montgomery County Public Schools). Hate has no place here.”
The hateful imagery has since been removed from the desk, officials noted. The incident remains under investigation.
“Our highest priority is the safety and security of our students," they said. “As a ‘No Place for Hate’ school, we find this behavior to be unacceptable and against the core values we embrace at Silver Creek.
“As such, students who engage in this type of behavior will be given appropriate disciplinary actions aligned with the MCPS student code of conduct.”
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