Katonah-Lewisboro District To Hold Forum In Wake Of Swastika Incidents

CROSS RIVER, NY — The Katonah-Lewisboro school district will hold a forum to discuss how a community deals with hatred in the wake of repeated instances of swastikas found on school district property.

The forum will take place at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 16 at the John Jay High School cafeteria.

“My intention for our meeting is to provide a space for dialogue, for the sharing of concerns and hopes, and for thinking together about moving forward,” said Superintendent Andrew Selesnick.

“While there are steps that schools take to help students understand the meaning and impact of their actions, the work of inspiring empathy and combating hatred is work for a collective, connected community,” he said.

A district spokeswoman said the community meeting follows four incidents of swastikas found on school property in the last two months. The most recent was on Feb. 8, at John Jay High School. Students alerted administration to the presence of the symbol in a library bathroom.

Once again, the police were notified immediately and have commenced their investigation. Dr. Steven Siciliano, John Jay High School principal, informed the high school community, and Superintendent Selesnick relayed the news to the district with an invitation to the community forum.

“A number of students have already exercised real leadership by planning events and programs in response to prior incidents of anti-Semitic graffiti on campus and in the community,” said Dr. Siciliano.

SEE ALSO:

• Symbols of Hate Will Never Be Acceptable in Katonah-Lewisboro Schools: Superintendent
• Swastikas Found on Katonah-Lewisboro School Bus
• More Swastikas Found on Katonah-Lewisboro School Property
• 3 Arrested for Spray-painting Swastikas at Lewisboro School Playground

“These plans include inviting Mrs. Judith Altmann, who is a Holocaust survivor, to speak to all of us later this month,” he said.

The district is also in contact with the Anti-Defamation League about possible programming for the future.

Selesnick said the district's administrator are giving the situation a great deal of thought as to how best to address the pattern of hateful behavior.

“We are confident it is the behavior of a small percentage of our population,” he said. “In some cases, we have come to know who is responsible and in others, we have not. Be assured that students found responsible have faced what I believe are very appropriate consequences.”

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