Noose Made By Southern Middle School Student During Science Class

LOTHIAN, MD — An Anne Arundel County Public School student crafted something resembling a noose during science class and the district has taken measures to address the incident. Southern Middle School Principal Kevin Buckley sent a letter to parents this week informing them of what happened.

An investigation conducted by the school showed that the student involved "made an offhand comment about having created a noose to others in the class."

"In one of our science classes Friday afternoon, students were working in groups to create pulley systems from ropes. One of our students began working independently and crafted a device that more resembled a noose than a pulley. That device, along with several others being fashioned by the student groups, was suspended from the ceiling," the letter stated. "While the intent may not have been to do so, the creation of a device that resembles a clear symbol of hate and bigotry is not something that can be tolerated in our school or our school system."

Buckley informed parents that officials have "taken appropriate action with regard to the student involved in this matter."

"I also want to be very clear: We will not accept bias-motivated actions such as this anywhere in our school," he wrote.

There have been similar incidents reported in the past within Anne Arundel County Public Schools. A toilet paper noose was left in a boys' bathroom at a Pasadena middle school, Patch reported. The school system also recorded 244 reports of bias-motivated behavior in the 2018-2019 school year, almost three times more than the prior year.