Swastika Found Inside Bathroom At Bannockburn Elementary School

BETHESDA, MD — Hateful graffiti was found inside a bathroom at Bannockburn Elementary School in Bethesda, Montgomery County school officials said.

A fifth grader found a swastika and curse word on Tuesday in a boys bathroom stall, according to a letter the principal sent to parents on Feb. 6.

In the letter, Principal Kate Bradley said the school removed the graffiti, but is unsure how many students saw it beforehand.

"This behavior does not reflect the values of our school and will not be tolerated," Bradley wrote. "We are committed to providing a welcoming learning environment for our students."

In an effort to prevent another incident, Bradley said students will now have to sign out of class to use the bathroom. She added that staff will continue educating pupils about kindness, empathy, and respect.

The vandalism follows a string of anti-semitic and racially-charged incidents reported throughout the school district in recent months. On Feb. 8, Winston Churchill High School students were caught distributing passes that gave their peers permission to use the n-word. Earlier that week, two swastikas were found drawn on a desk at that same high school, according to officials. In January, a spray-painted swastika was found on the facade of Richard Montgomery High School. The incident comes less than a month after red plastic cups stuck in a chain link fence at the school spelled out a racial slur.

Patch reached out to Montgomery County Public Schools, but did not get a response in time for publication.