After the principal of a Washington elementary school said the swastika is a “symbol of peace” in some religions, the backlash spread quickly and the principal is now on administrative leave.
A swastika was discovered on a wall at Phantom Lake Elementary School in Bellevue on Monday. KOMO-TV reported. After the discovery, the school district said Principal Heather Snukal sent two messages: KIRO-TV reported.
“For me, asking Jewish families to tolerate swastikas in this day and age is the most distorted form of inclusion we can come up with.”
KOMO said that in the first message (a text warning to the school), the principal wrote that such “symbols of hate” were surfacing at the school and that the swastika was immediately removed, and that he emphasized its importance to the children. He added that he encouraged his family to tell the news. Respect others and stand against hatred.
Hours later, parents shared with KOMO an email from the principal with the subject line, “Follow-up on recent incidents and cultural awareness.” The department said in an email that while the swastika is often associated with hatred and intolerance, it is important to recognize that it also has deep historical and cultural meaning in other parts of the world. He apologized for not recognizing that in the initial text warning. She also thanked those in the community for bringing this to her attention, the department added.
Mr. KOMO noted that the principal wrote in part:
In Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and other ancient cultures, the swastika is a symbol of peace, prosperity, and good fortune. We recognize that for many families, this symbol has a positive, spiritual meaning, completely unrelated to the hateful associations it has carried in recent history.
As a school that values inclusivity and cultural understanding, we want to ensure that students from all backgrounds feel welcome, valued and celebrated. We also work to ensure that our community is educated about the diverse meanings and histories behind symbols like the swastika to avoid misunderstandings that can inadvertently alienate or hurt our students. I'm thinking of making it.
Several parents said the second message was “unacceptable,” the station said, and some told them via email and made plans to meet after school on Monday. But KOMO said it learned by the end of the school day that the Bellevue School District had placed the principal on administrative leave and launched an investigation.
The department noted the following statement from the district:
There is no place for hate in the Bellevue School District. In a time when words and symbols are being used to divide us, we work with administrators, staff, and students to engage our communities in courageous conversations that affirm each other's cultures, beliefs, and identities. I'm calling.
We share the burden and pain that Jewish families feel regarding the rise of anti-Semitism locally and nationally. Bellevue, like other neighborhoods, has seen an increase in anti-Semitic incidents, particularly in the last year, and we are taking steps to address this. Playground vandalism with swastikas is anti-Semitic and goes against Dr. King's vision of building “the beloved community,” a place where people truly care for one another and are free from hunger, poverty, and hate. This goes against the district's efforts.
Superintendent Aramaki recently published a blog post sharing our efforts to combat anti-Semitism in our district. This incident will be investigated and addressed in accordance with our policies and procedures. We recognize that all incidents like this cause pain to our entire community, especially the Jewish community.
Tirza Dondanbil, a parent with two daughters at the school, told KOMO: “There is no reason why symbols of hatred should be placed on school grounds or given ambiguous expressions.For me, this is about us. It's the most distorted version of inclusion that can come.” I decided to ask Jewish families in this day and age to be tolerant of the swastika. ”
But another parent told KIRO that the principal “doesn't erase anything that happened to the Jewish community, because we all know what happened to the Jewish community. Because everyone knows what happened. But like she said, a lot of symbols have different meanings in different cultures. So you can isolate what one person did and this symbol. You can’t forget what it means to other people.”
You can view the video report here About the controversy.
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