'Threatening, Antisemitic' Messages Sent To Bethesda High School

BETHESDA, MD — Racially charged and antisemitic messages targeting Walt Whitman High School and its principal were sent to the school's newspaper last week, according to a letter from school officials.

In the letter sent to families, Walt Whitman Principal Gregory Miller said the threatening messages were sent anonymously to The Black & White. Officials learned of the messages after a staff member reported them.

Officials did not elaborate on the content of the messages but said the threats were never made public.

"We understand the distress that such incidents can cause and want to reassure you that we are committed to fostering a safe, inclusive, and supportive environment for all students," Miller said in the letter. "Incidents such as this are a community issue requiring a community response; we must come together to recognize and embrace our differences and not let them divide us."

Officials said they notified Montgomery County police, Montgomery County Public Schools Office of School Support and Improvement and MCPS Systemwide Safety and filed "appropriate reporting forms for this matter."

To prevent similar incidents in the future, Miller said school administrators, staff, and student leaders from The Black & White are working to develop additional safeguards including
adjustments to the comment and contact features on the newspaper’s website.

Moving forward, the publication also will prohibit anonymous submissions.

The incident is among several targeting Montgomery County schools in recent months.

In August, police reported finding antisemitic graffiti at Wooten High School in Rockville, Winston Churchill High School in Potomac, Fallsmead Elementary School in Rockville, and Strathmore Elementary School in Silver Spring, WTOP reported.

The vandalism came a week after a similar incident was reported at Bethesda Elementary School. According to police, someone painted antisemitic phrases in the school's parking lot and on a sign. Authorities deemed the vandalism a bias-related crime.