Andover Hate Crime: Swastikas Found On School Desk

ANDOVER, MA — Three swastikas were found drawn on a desk in a Jewish teacher's classroom at Andover High Tuesday afternoon, just hours before the beginning of Hanukkah. It's the third time in the past few months a swastika was found at the school.

The most recent incident is being considered a hate crime, according to town officials.

"The moment we write these acts of intolerance and hatred off as mere ignorance we are admitting that we must live with hate in our community," Town Manager Andrew Flanagan said. "Our community is much stronger than that. We are a vibrant, tolerant, welcoming community, and we will not allow hate speech or hate crimes to pervade in our schools, or anywhere else."

Andover will be leaning on the New England Chapter of the Anti-Defemation League for guidance and resources in combatting hate speech. Andover Public Schools will conduct faculty and staff training with the ADL, and will reach out to local rabbis, priests, ministers, and others to lead a public forum at the school early next year.

"We must respond to the situation that presents itself to us, and we cannot ignore hatred and intolerance because they are uncomfortable topics of conversation. We must educate ourselves and our children," Superintendent Shelley Berman said. "We seek to find those responsible for these acts, but we also know that we must educate our entire community if we hope to prevent these acts from reoccurring."

The Andover Police Department is investigating and could bring felony hate crime charges to those responsible.

"We are actively and aggressively investigating these incidents at Andover High School, and the men and women of the Andover Police Department seek to become active participants in the learning and healing process with the schools, and our community," Chief Patrick Keefe said. "Crime prevention happens in the community, and we are dedicated to preventing these terrible acts from happening again."

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