Hateful graffiti found in Montgomery County high school bathroom: officials
Hateful graffiti discovered in Montgomery County school bathroom
School officials and local authorities are investigating after hateful graffiti was found in a Montgomery County high school bathroom on Wednesday.
PLYMOUTH MEETING, Pa. - Racist graffiti was discovered inside a bathroom at Plymouth Whitemarsh High School and authorities and school officials are working to determine who is responsible for the hateful act.
What we know:
Officials said a student at Plymouth Whitemarsh High School discovered hateful graffiti scrawled in the bathroom in the D wing of the school building.
The student immediately reported the graffiti to their teacher, who informed security and administrators, according to a letter sent to families.
"We are proud that the student and teacher took swift action to report this incident so we could quickly erase the inflammatory message," the letter read.
The Colonial School District is investigating the incident in hopes of identifying who is responsible for the graffiti.
What they're saying:
"I mean seeing that image, it's just sad in general. There's no other word for it. It's just disappointing," senior Luke Laviola said.
He said he saw the swastika and racial epithets with his own eyes, written on the inside of a bathroom stall door. "It’s not the culture here at our school. It’s disgraceful."
Senior Kevin Hegarty agrees, "It's terrible. I mean. I love our school, everything about it, but some kids, it's just stupid kids. It's just stupid kids ruining the whole thing for other people."
Big picture view:
"Colonial School District strongly condemns hate speech in any form and will not tolerate these acts of intimidation in our schools," officials said.
Plymouth Whitemarsh High School has made resources available to students "who may be upset upon hearing about this incident."
"This incident will not shake our commitment to promoting a culture of belonging in our schools," officials said.
What's next:
The school district is working with the Whitemarsh Police Department as it investigates. District officials say they will take appropriate disciplinary measures once it’s determined who is responsible.