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Student, 16, Removed From Prestigious Englewood School For Anti-Black, Anti-Semitic Graffiti

UPDATE: Officials at Dwight-Englewood Upper School confirmed Friday that a 16-year-old student was removed after they determined that he was responsible for anti-black and anti-Semitic graffiti found scrawled on several restroom stalls across the campus.

The Dwight–Englewood Upper School describes itself is an independent, coeducational college-preparatory day school with roughly 900 ethnically-diverse students in pre-kindergarten through 12th grade in three "functionally separate" schools.

The Dwight–Englewood Upper School describes itself is an independent, coeducational college-preparatory day school with roughly 900 ethnically-diverse students in pre-kindergarten through 12th grade in three "functionally separate" schools.

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Head of School Dr. Rodney V. De Jarnett issued a statement earlier that a student was "under investigation and no longer at the school," said Liz Tausner, the schools' director of communications.

The 11th-grader has denied involvement, according to sources familiar with the incident.

A police investigation was continuing and delinquency complaints hadn't been filed yet, Englewood Deputy Police Chief Gregory Halstead said Friday morning.

"Racist and anti-Semitic 'hate' graffiti was found in a D-E Upper School (US) boys’ restroom on Friday, March 1," Tausner wrote in a release. "Students found the graffiti and alerted D-E School administration."

De Jarnett "issued an Email to US students, D-E faculty/staff, and all D-E parents in response to this incident" on Monday, which was a snow day.

Meetings and assembly programs led by De Jarnett and US Principal Joseph Algrant were held with US faculty/staff and then with all US students on Tuesday, the release says.

"Additional follow-up meetings between leaders of student-led clubs including JADE (Jewish Appreciation @ D-E) and D-E Black Affinity Group took place that afternoon," it says.

Hours after the programs, "additional, similarly ‘charged’ graffiti messages with more specifically-targeted verbiage at Dr. De Jarnett was found in two boys’ restrooms within D-E Upper School buildings," Tausner wrote.

Englewood police were notified and worked with school officials to investigate the first incident, which the release says "constitutes a 'bias' crime."

De Jarnett also boosted school security around the clock. City police increased their presence, as well.

Faculty and staff were "also available in hallways and common areas, between classes through the day and during lunch, touching base with students, engaging them in conversations and making their presence well known," the release says.

On Wednesday, "the community was reminded of all campus security measures and were also informed by Dr. De Jarnett that one student is under investigation and is no longer at the school," Tausner wrote.

"Enhanced programs for teaching increased understanding are already underway for students, faculty/staff, and parents in all three divisions of D-E," she added.

The Dwight–Englewood Upper School describes itself is an independent, coeducational college-preparatory day school with roughly 900 ethnically-diverse students in pre-kindergarten through 12th grade in three "functionally separate" schools.

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