Supervisors Condemn Vandalism at Herndon High School

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Last week, students, teachers and administrators at Herndon High School were greeted by offensive graffiti scrawled on the football field and other outdoor areas.

The graffiti included anti-semitic and racial slurs and offensive sexual images, according to the website Reston Now.

In response, two Fairfax County supervisors and two members of the county School Board released a statement Friday condemning the graffiti. The symbols represent “vile hate speech” that “does not represent the inclusive community that we strive to make possible in Fairfax County,” they said to the school and the general community. The entire letter is below:

Vandalism at Herndon High School

Last weekend, vile hate speech and derogatory symbols were found defacing property at Herndon High School. We stand together, all saying that this behavior is intolerable in our community. This action represents some of the worst intolerance that we have seen, and does not represent the inclusive community that we strive to make possible in Fairfax County.

This action is intended to demean and diminish members of our community. The symbols depicted at Herndon High School represent hate and inhumanity. We will not stand for this behavior in our school system, or in the greater Fairfax County community.

We will not allow our schools to become a platform for hatred and intolerance of any group or individual. Moreover, we must use this occasion in a positive way, to teach respect and tolerance and to demonstrate how the diversity of our county enriches all our lives. This is a horrific example of community, but we must take it as an opportunity to further build an inclusive community for all.

Supervisor Catherine M. Hudgins, Hunter Mill District

Supervisor John Foust, Dranesville District

School Board Member Pat Hynes, Hunter Mill District

School Board Member Jane Strauss, Dranesville District