I write with disquieting news. This morning (March 25) I addressed the entire school about a situation that has taken place at Gorham High School. Over the past two or three weeks there have been four swastikas drawn on bathroom walls and even on the door of a teacher’s classroom.
As we know, the swastika is the symbol of the Nazi party, who in the 1930 and 1940s was responsible for the deaths of 10 million to 12 million people. It is a symbol of hate, intolerance and intimidation. It has no place on the walls or doors of a school except in the context of learning.
I have contacted the Attorney General’s Office of Civil Rights. We will be reporting what information we have to them through the Gorham Police Department.
In the meantime, today I asked all students to take a stand against this type of behavior. I asked them not to be silent if they see or hear signs or comments that may be a violation of civil rights. They should tell someone. I am confident that the students at Gorham want a safe and positive learning environment and will step up to the challenge. Likewise, if you see or hear these signs or comments, please let us know.
To be honest, we are not sure if these drawings were intentionally done to raise fear of if they were done out of ignorance. In either case, they do not belong in school. To that end, we made their existence public, informed the whole community and hope to use this as a teaching moment for all.
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