MHS Principal Update
June 5th, 2023
Sharing of Information.
Dear MHS Families and Caregivers,
Today was hard for many of our students and staff to come into MHS, where previously they generally felt safe and respected. Unfortunately, our community and trust were taken from us last Friday, and we are working to rebuild. We met as staff at 8:00 and heard from our teachers, who shared their voices and their fear and asked for our support, empathy, and action.
Before TA, we read these points to students to have them understand the deeper meaning behind the act of hate on Friday (Thank you, Becca G and Perry BH):
- On Friday, someone drew a swastika in feces in one of our gender-neutral bathrooms on the second day of Pride Month.
- This is not an isolated incident. Drawing a swastika in feces in a gender-neutral bathroom is a very deliberate act that has been mirrored in schools, college campuses, and elsewhere across the country. In recent years, it has been directly used on school campuses to threaten queer and Jewish people.
- As the graphs below will show, there has been a significant increase in hate group activity, violence, and propaganda since 2000. It is up to us to prevent this from spreading in our community.
- In Germany, the Nazi party targeted Jewish, LGBTQIA, BIPOC, immigrant, and disabled populations, as well as women and political leftists. The image carries the weight of the violence committed against all of those communities.
- Some students have described this as “dumb” and “immature.” Don’t fall into that trap. Let’s be clear - it is hate speech. It is a purposeful act that targets specific people in our community to instill fear and send the message that they don’t belong. But they DO belong. It’s hate and intolerance that don’t belong.
- If you are someone who has not felt a visceral reaction to this, please take a moment to reflect on your privilege. This might mean that you are not part of a group that’s been targeted.
- We all respond to acts of hate and violence differently. Those in our community targeted by this act will most likely have a very different experience this week than those not in groups historically attacked by Nazi ideas. Some of us might not know what it feels like to be targeted this way. We sincerely encourage everyone to practice empathy and humility in discussing this incident.
- 10th graders have learned about the ways that fascism worms its way into society. They can tell you that learning to empathize when others are harmed is critical to stopping the spread of hate, vitriol, and fascism.
During TA, MHS went outside and held a circle, a moment of silence where students or staff could speak freely and safely. The words we heard reflected anger, fear, and the need to come together to protect, support, and value one another.
During Solon block, there was space for marginalized students to share their voices and be heard and connected.
We will continue to work with the Montpelier Police Department (which has our information) and our investigation to find the person. And we will continue to have counselors and spaces available for students and staff to process and connect.
Our work is not done at the end of next week. We have more work to do to educate students and staff about cultural responsibility. And we had a foundation built on community and relationships that broke last week and is repairable if we do the work.
Please feel free to reach out, and I would be happy to connect.
Sincerely,
Jason
Principal