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Officials in the Somers Central School District stated in an email that the swastika was found painted into a chair in the school’s library with a marker. The symbol of hate has since been removed by custodians.
“We are deeply disappointed that anyone in our community would vandalize school property with such a despicable symbol of hatred and intolerance,” principal Mark Bayer and Superintendent Dr. Raymond Blanch wrote in an email. “As a school and district, we will not tolerate this behavior and our administrative team will investigate it thoroughly. The school officials also encouraged parents to talk to their children about “our values as an inclusive community.”
Due to the nature and location of the symbol, officials said they will require student assistance as they launch an investigation into who drew the swastika.
“We greatly appreciate the immediate action taken by the student who discovered the symbol, they wrote. “Encourage your child to speak to an administrator immediately if he or she has any further information that could help us identify the student responsible.”
In the past few years, the district has dealt with several similar incidents, including swastikas being painted on playground equipment, carved into a tree and drawn on school bus seats.
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