Two Swastikas Discovered at Ridgefield High School

Ridgefield High School Principal Stacey Gross has had it after graffiti at Ridgefield High School depicted two swastikas at the school on Friday. 

In an emotional letter sent home to parents, Gross wrote,

“Good morning. I would like to take a few moments to offer some thoughts regarding recent incidents that have occurred on our campus. We have discovered two items of graffiti, both illustrating a swastika – as a reminder, the swastika was a symbol of superiority and power used by Adolf Hitler to legitimize the Holocaust – a genocidal event that resulted in the death of 11 million people, including 6 million people of Jewish ancestry. I wish to emphasize that those who create such illustrations serve to offend all of us in our Ridgefield High School community and this will never be considered acceptable behavior.

I know that you understand that these acts, and similar ones towards any group, attempt to weaken our conscience, poison our spirit, and destroy the freedom of all of us. They are actions intended to demean and diminish members of our community, the people that we live side by side with every day of the school year. That type of behavior does not represent the type of school that we strive to be – a school where there are no second-class citizens, all are free to come and enjoy their day, and every student and staff member receives the benefits of civility and human kindness. I know that you join with me in saying, “We will not allow our school to become a platform for hatred and intolerance of any group. Furthermore, we will not be bystanders to humiliation, and we will not be silent to the suffering of others.”

I ask that you join with me in working towards putting an end to this behavior by addressing it when you witness it, confiding in an adult when you know of it, and never participating in it if encouraged to do so. We will be working with faculty, student clubs, student committees and the student government to explore ways to address and prevent these types of behavior. Helen Keller once said, “The result of education is tolerance” -- which simply means giving to every other person every right that you claim for yourself. I trust that you will accept the challenge associated with doing the right thing and help to create the world in which we all want to live -- a world where we have respect for each other and protect each other.

Thank you for your attention.

Stacey Gross