Swastikas found on desks at Shoreham-Wading River High School
Swastikas were found on three separate desks at Shoreham Wading River high school on Thursday, according to a letter sent to the district community by Superintendent Gerard W. Poole.
“The district has contacted the Suffolk County Police Department and will fully cooperate in their investigation. The individual(s) responsible for defacing school property with such a hateful image will be held accountable and will be disciplined in accordance with the district’s code of conduct,” Mr. Poole said.
A spokesperson from Suffolk County Police Department confirmed that their hate crimes unit is investigating the case.
According to the district’s code of conduct, a student found to have violated the code may be subject to the following penalties, either alone or in combination. They are:
- Oral Warning
- Written Warning
- Written notification to parents/guardians
- Detention
- Suspension from transportation
- Suspension from athletic participation
- Suspension from social or extracurricular activities
- Suspension of other privileges
- In school suspension
- Removal from classroom
- Short-term suspension (five days or less) from school
- Long-term suspension (more than five days) from school.
This is the second instance of a hateful act the district this academic year. Last month at the middle school a student “targeted another student with a note containing a racial word,” said last month’s letter from Mr. Poole noting the incident to the school community.
The district also contacted the Suffolk County Police Department for that instance. The individual responsible for writing that note will also be disciplined in accordance with the district’s code of conduct.
Mr. Poole asks parents to discuss these incidents with their children and remind them that this type of behavior will not be tolerated.
“The district continues to educate our students about the importance of social-emotional learning and tries to cultivate a sense of unity and inclusion in our school community with different age-appropriate lessons at each of our buildings,” Mr. Poole’s letter said. “Building community and inclusivity is an ongoing goal and it is important that we work together to successfully achieve this goal.”
