Racial Slur Left At South River High Stadium: Police

EDGEWATER, MD — Officials are investigating who left a racial slur on a high-jump mat at South River High School's stadium over the weekend. School Principal William T. Myers called the action unacceptable and despicable in a note he sent to parents on March 18.

A coach reported someone vandalized a track and field mat by spray painting a racial slur sometime between 9 p.m. Friday, March 15, and 9 a.m. Saturday, March 16, said Marc Limansky, public information officer for the Anne Arundel County Police Department. Anyone with information about the vandal is asked to call the department's tip line at 410-222-4700.

Myers said authorities don't know if there is any link to the school other than where the vandalism occurred.

"These types of acts are simply not tolerable in our society. We do not teach students at South River or anywhere in our school system that the use of such slurs is acceptable in any way," Myers wrote. "In fact, our school system has put a great emphasis in recent years on educating students about acceptance and inclusion."

School staffers will talk to students about hate and intolerance, and Myers urged parents to have similar conversations at home.

Read the entire letter on the Capital website.