Racist Graffiti Found At OPRF High School Aimed At Teacher

OAK PARK, IL --- Oak Park has long been known for its diversity, but a recent hate crime has exacerbated what many feel is unspoken tension in the community. On Friday, racial slurs directed and anti-Semitic graffiti were found scrawled on a wall outside Oak Park-River Forest High School Friday, according to school officials. The graffiti used racist language and named Anthony Clark, an OPRF teacher and community activist.

A community member reportedly alerted the school after seeing the graffiti.

Clark shared a photograph of the graffiti on social media, along with a personal message urging the community to take action against racism and hate crimes. Clark wrote,

"At the age of 5, I was told in this commUNITY (Oak Park), that I could not be friends with a White girl, because I was Black. Decades later, that same pervasive message still exists across the nation, that if you are Black, if your race, gender, beliefs, or sexual orientation differs from the majority, hateful ideologies exist to ensure that ownership, opportunity, and/or justice are not obtainable."

He called the incident a "microcosm of larger systemic issues" and stressed that the community " should not "simply respond with superficial anger."

In the wake of the graffiti, OPRF officials posted a statement directed at students, staff, and community members. They wrote,

"We live in a time where, sadly, safe spaces are targeted. Our goal for our school community is to do everything possible so that our staff, students, and families are not put in harm’s way. In the midst of our anger and sorrow over this hateful act, we remind ourselves that outrage without action will not further our work to be a safe space in our community. To those community members who’ve emailed and called to alert us, we thank you for trusting us. As school board president and superintendent, respectively, but more importantly as members of this community, we won’t tolerate our school being used as a springboard for hate."

The school will hold a Community Conversation On Hate Crimes on Nov. 7 at 6 p.m. to address the incident. The hate crime comes in the midst of ongoing efforts by Oak Park students who are working to promote racial equity at schools.

Police are currently investigating the incident and school officials are asking anyone with information to email nrouse@oprfhs.org or superintendent jpruittadams@oprfhs.org.

Image via GoogleMaps Streetview